11 Things
by WickedlyAwesomeMe
Summary: Before her life ends, Hermione Granger wanted to do eleven things… Dramione! FINALLY COMPLETE!
1. Prologue

**Title: **11 Things**  
Author: **2booklover4**  
Language: **English**  
Verb Tense: **Narrative past; Dialogues in present tense**  
Form: **Chaptered story**  
Genre: **Romance/Drama**  
Rating: **T**  
Ship: **Draco/Hermione**  
Summary: **Before her life ends, Hermione Granger wanted to do eleven things… Dramione!

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****Disclaimer: Seriously not mine. **

**A/N: And so, here I am. Back and alive. I'm so glad I survived a few weeks without the internet. I almost died, people, DIED! Anyway, so I have this new story, "11 Things". I did this while on vacation somewhere, writing an outline in a Math notebook (you know, with the little squares and all). I'm done having ideas about this new story of mine though, I still haven't typed all of the chapters. To be honest, I'm already in Chapter 5 (I'm cool, aren't I). This story just popped up in my mind one day after watching a movie (can't tell the title) and before I knew it, I was writing down on a Math notebook. **

**I hope you support this new story of mine. Draco/Hermione ship is a bloody good pair, isn't it? I'll never tire of writing stories about this fabulous pair. **

**So, here goes nothing. Enjoy! **

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****11 Things**

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Prologue**

"_Remind me why I'm going to do this again," Hermione Granger, age twenty-five, said, pacing back and forth in front of Dr. Hayden Nobleman's office door. _

"_Oh for crying out loud!" Draco Malfoy exclaimed, arms above his head in frustration. "We've talked about this for the umpteenth time, Granger. Do I have to repeat it again?" _

_Hermione's face contorted into an indistinguishable look. "Is it even necessary? I mean, look at me from head to toe. I look healthy, don't I?" _

_Draco tapped a finger thoughtfully against his chin as he surveyed her from head to toe. "Yes, yes, Granger, absolutely healthy." His eyes lingered on her head and then, a small smirk grew on his face. "But on second thought… I think you have a… hmmm, what's it called? Oh, yes, a _mental disorder_." _

_The brunette scowled and playfully hit his right arm. "Draco, I'm being serious here!" she exclaimed, now nervously wringing her wrist. _

"_All right, Hermione, I'm going to explain it to you again," the blond said, crossing his arms against his chest. "You are a bloody Auror, one of the greatest in fact. _And_, Aurors are supposed to be healthy. No sickness whatsoever. The Ministry is just making sure that you are healthy and all. Though" – he frowned – "I don't quite understand it why, of all places in the whole wide world, you chose to have your check-up here in a bloody Muggle Hospital. You can just choose St. Mungo's Hermione. You'll even have a discount because you're best friend to the son of the owner." _

_Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, for your information, all Aurors were given the order to have their own check-ups and so, there are a lot of Aurors waiting for their turn to have their check-up plus those who have their own reasons to visit St. Mungo's and so basically, it's bloody crowded and I don't want to waste my time in a Wizard Hospital." Hermione wrinkled her nose in disgust, glaring at Dr. Nobleman's (the doctor who was supposed to give Hermione her check-up). "I'm not really fond of hospitals, Muggle or Wizard, you know." _

"_Fine, fine, whatever, Beaver," Draco said. 'Beaver' was what he fondly called her (since she wouldn't stop calling him 'Ferret'). Actually, she didn't look like a beaver at all. Her teeth were perfect and pearly-white, no hint that her two front teeth were once abnormally large. He had called her 'Beaver' too because of this particular incident in their fourth year when he was still the Slytherin badass and cursed her two front teeth to grow larger. _

"_For heavens' sake, Ferret, stop calling me 'Beaver'!" she exclaimed. "You don't have to remind me about my teeth's imperfection when I was still young." _

"_Only if you stop calling me 'Ferret'," he said, eyebrows lifted challengingly. "Because you know, you also don't have to remind me of my past doom when Barty Crouch Jr. a.k.a. fake Moody turned me into a disgusting creature, of all animals!" _

_Hermione rolled her eyes and faced the door again. "All right, we're coming in," she said, shifting her eyes away from the door towards her watch. "I'm already five minutes late, you know." Taking a deep breath, she muttered repeatedly under her breath, "I'm coming in. I'm coming in. I'm coming in. I'm coming in…" Every sentence, she took a step. _

_The blond looked at her in amusement, thinking that she looked like a broken record… though, strangely endearing. _

"_I'm coming in" – one step – "I'm coming in" – another step – "I'm coming in" – and another – "I'm coming in." Hermione made an abrupt stop, face now a few inches away from the door. She took another deep breath. Instead of turning the doorknob open, she swiveled around. A look of fright was seen on her face, left hand wringing her wrist again. "I can't do this, Draco. I really can't." _

"_Woah, woah, woah, Granger, what the hell is wrong with you?" the blond asked, perplexed. "You're just going to have a check-up. After a few minutes, it's done, you know." _

_Hermione bit her bottom lip and looked at the floor. She muttered something incoherent, still constantly wringing her wrist. _

"_What was that? I didn't quite catch it." _

_She sighed dejectedly then looked straight into his silver eyes. "I'm afraid of injections," she said with a quiver, saying 'injections' as if it was taboo. _

_Draco looked at her incredulously. "Really, Hermione, April Fools is still four months from now." _

_The brunette frowned. "I'm not kidding, Draco. I'm really afraid of injections." She turned away from him, fists now clenched. "I mean, I'm having my check-up, all right? So that means I'm going to be injected with a bloody needle." She shivered visibly. "They say it's just like an ant bit you but it's worse… much, much worse." _

_The blond couldn't help it anymore. He burst into boisterous laughter. "Hermione Granger, Gryffindor Lioness, is afraid of injections. This must be the best day of my life." _

_Hermione scowled and rolled her eyes. "All right, laugh all you want." _

_Draco calmed himself down and patted Hermione's arm. "Aww, come on, Beaver, you have to admit it was very funny." Before Hermione could retort something back, he held both of her shoulders and steered her towards the door. "Now, be the 'Gryffindor Lioness' you once were, Granger, and face 'the ultimate icky freaky needle'. After that, I'll treat you ice cream." _

_The brunette face lit up. "Coffee Crumble?" _

"_Of course," he said, giving her his rare smile. _

_She took a deep breath and released it with a loud 'whoosh'. "Okay, fine, I can do this." She looked at her watch and squeaked. "Eeek! I'm ten minutes late!" She wrenched the door open, making the occupant inside the room jump in surprise. _

"_I'm so sorry I'm late, Dr. Nobleman, it was kind of traffic in the streets a while ago and the taxi we rode was abnormally slow," she lied smoothly. _

_Dr. Hayden Nobleman was a middle-aged man with thinning auburn hair and electric blue eyes behind spectacles. Hermione blinked. He greatly resembled ex-Headmaster Albus Dumbledore when he was in his middle ages. Apparently, Draco noticed the resemblance, too, since his mouth was open, eyes almost bulging out of his eye sockets. Hermione took the liberty to close his mouth for him, concerned that a fly might find its way inside the gaping hole. _

"_Oh, not at all, Miss" – he flipped a notebook open – "Granger. You are my last patient for the day, anyway." _

"_Oh, okay." _

"_Please, have a seat," he gestured the stiff-looking chair in front of his desk. _

_Hermione scrambled slowly towards the chair and fell on it with a soft 'thud'. She winced. It was stiffer that it looked. _

_Dr. Nobleman's eyes then landed on Draco who was looking around the office, amazement evident on his face as his eyes jumped from one Muggle medical contraption to another. "And you are?" _

"_Draco Malfoy, sir," he said, nodding his head in greeting. _

"_Oh," the doctor said, eyes landing on Hermione, "your boyfriend?" _

_Hermione turned into a deep shade of red while the blond paled. "No!" they exclaimed in unison, surprising the doctor. _

"_Erm… actually yes," the brunette slowly said. At the corner of her eyes, she saw the horrified look on the blond's face. "What I meant to say was, you know, he's a friend that is a _boy_, so he's my _boy friend_," she said, trying to explain. "My best friend, actually." _

"_Oh," the doctor said, nodding his head thoughtfully. His eyebrow shot up once seeing the abrupt disappointment on the blond's face. "I see." _

_Hermione cleared her throat. "I'm here to have my check-up." _

"_Of course, that's why you are here," Dr. Nobleman said, motioning Draco to sit on the chair opposite Hermione. "So," he flipped his notebook open again, "you have to have a check-up for your work which is a criminologist… Hmm, impressive job, I must say." _

"_Criminologist?" Draco asked, curiosity in his tone of voice. _

_Hermione kicked him at the shin, earning a soft 'ow' from him. _

"_Are you quite all right, Mr. Malfoy?" Dr. Nobleman asked, eyes now trained on the blond. _

_He gave the doctor a charming fake smile and shook his head. "Oh, of course I am, Dr. Nobleman. Please resume what you were doing." _

_The doctor buried his head on his notebook again, looking at some simple facts about Hermione. "You're an orphan, I see," he said. "Your parents died in a car crash when you were still nineteen-years-old." _

_Hermione nodded slowly, face falling. Her parents never died in a car crash. They were too practical and careful to die because of that kind of an accident. In actuality, they died because of the Death Eaters that raided her house. They were supposed to find and kill her. Unfortunately (or fortunately, really), she was not home. So instead of her, her parents were the ones killed. _

"_Quite interesting facts, Miss Granger," Dr. Nobleman resumed. "You studied in a boarding school somewhere in Scotland ever since you were eleven-years-old and I presume that Mr. Malfoy here was your classmate." _

"_Yes, quite right," Hermione said. _

"_And a valedictorian. Impressive, really." _

_Draco released a huge breath. "Is she accepted in her job or what?" he sarcastically said. "Really, is this a job interview or a medical check-up?" _

"_Draco!" Hermione scolded softly while Dr. Nobleman looked at the blond, amusement evident on his face.  
_

"_You have to do something after this, I see," the doctor said, standing up and opened a cabinet. _

_The Malfoy heir rolled his eyes while Hermione stared at him disapprovingly. _

_After opening the third cabinet, Dr. Nobleman pulled out the object he was finding and sat down on his seat again. Upon seeing the object, Hermione paled instantly – syringe with a needle taunting her. _

"_May I go to the washroom?" she squeaked softly, standing up abruptly. _

"_Oh no, you may not, Granger," Draco said, holding her arms and pulling her down on her seat again. Upon seeing Dr. Nobleman's curios look, Draco explained. "She's afraid of injection." _

"_Oh," Dr. Nobleman said. He rolled his sleeves up to his elbows and held the syringe. "Mr. Malfoy, can you please hold her still," he said absentmindedly. Hermione was squirming on her seat. "Now, Miss Granger, this will only feel like an ant bit you." The syringe was nearing her arm, making her whimper slowly. Draco covered her mouth and shook his head. "Hermione, this won't be painful. Where's all your bravery?" _

_And then, the needle injected in Hermione's arm. _

_And then, a scream erupted. _

_Not from Hermione and definitely not from Dr. Nobleman. _

_It was from Draco. _

_Apparently, to contain her scream of terror and pain, Hermione bit Draco's hand (that was still covering her mouth). And it was real hard, judging by Draco's sudden yelp of pain. _

_Dr. Nobleman pulled the needle out of Hermione's muscle and pressed the small, bleeding hole with cotton. "See, it wasn't painful at all." _

_Hermione sheepishly smiled at the scowling blond, teeth marks visible on his right hand. Dr. Nobleman softly laughed, amused at the scene unfolding in front of him. _

"_Now, Miss Granger, as I survey you from head to toe, it seems like you are quite healthy," the doctor said, his eyes roaming around Hermione's body. He checked her eyesight (20-20), weight and height, heart rate, blood pressure, and so on and so forth._

"_You will get the result of your blood test this coming Saturday. Is that all right?" he said, closing the notebook where Hermione's records were. _

"_Yes," she said. _

"_Then, that's it. It's nice meeting you Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy." _

_Hermione nodded and stood up. She walked out of the door, a scowling blond following her who was cradling his injured hand. _

_The brunette turned to him, the sheepish smile evident on her face again. "So, Coffee Crumble?" _

_Draco scowled and showed her wordlessly his hand before, without any second thought, apparated to his own house. _

_Hermione sighed and shook her head, apparating to his house to follow him. _

_Really, all he needed was a big hug from the brunette so that she would be forgiven. _

**DMHGDMHGDMHG**

"_Ready to get your result, Granger?" Draco asked as they were once again in front of Dr. Nobleman's office door. It had been six days since her check-up. Dr. Nobleman called her and told her that her result would be given to her on Monday instead of Saturday. _

_Hermione gave him a smile. "Yeah." _

"_Remember, Hermione, there's nothing to worry about," he reassured her. "You're pretty healthy to me." _

"_Thanks," she said, releasing a nervous laugh. She opened the door again and was greeted by Dr. Nobleman who gave both of them a weak smile. Hermione felt more nervous. There was something in Dr. Nobleman's eyes that made her worried. "Good afternoon, Dr. Nobleman." _

"_Good afternoon Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy. Have a seat," he said, gesturing at the seats. _

_Hermione and Draco followed him and sat down. The doctor looked from the brunette to the blond back to the brunette with a grim expression on his face. The brunette held Draco's hand, surprising him mildly. She didn't like the look on the doctor's face. _

"_Miss Granger, I'm sorry for your delayed results," he said. "There was a great uproar, a huge fire, last Saturday here in the hospital so we had no choice but to put everything on hold." _

"_Umm… it's all right," the brunette softly said. She smiled at the blond weakly when he gave her hand a gentle squeeze for support. "So, am I gonna die or not?" _

_Draco released a soft snicker with the brunette's joke while the brunette cracked a small smile. Dr. Nobleman's expression, though, never changed. In fact, he looked quite grimmer than usual. _

_The doctor produced a small envelope from his desk and gave it to the brunette. "I'm sorry, Miss Granger, but you _are_ going to die." _

_The blond's jaw dropped while Hermione's eyes widened. _

"_You have lung cancer and your days are counted," Dr. Nobleman continued. "You're not going to live long." _

"_WHAT?!" Draco roared, standing up abruptly. Because of this, his stiff chair toppled on the ground. Hermione flinched because of the noise but Dr. Nobleman seemed unperturbed. "Is this some kind of a sick joke?" _

_The brunette looked at the ground. "How… how long am I going to live?" she asked, almost inaudibly. _

_Dr. Nobleman released a tired sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Five months as the shortest; a year, the longest." _

"_Hermione, he's barking mad! Don't listen to him!" the furious blond exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger towards the doctor._

"_Mr. Malfoy, please sit down," the doctor said. The blond obliged and placed the chair back into its original position. He sat down on it and looked at the brunette pointedly. _

"_But… but how come I have… lung cancer?" Hermione asked, eyes glazed as she stared at the doctor. "I mean… I haven't felt anything at all. No symptoms. No nothing." _

"_She's right," Draco asked, hope creeping into his face. _

"_Miss Granger, lung cancer is one of the silent killer diseases known," Dr. Nobleman explained. "Symptoms will show once the cancer is serious already." _

_Hermione bit her bottom lip. _

"_In your case, the symptoms will show after two months," Dr. Nobleman said, looking at his notebook. "Thank God we've detected your cancer earlier than the symptoms kicked in. I will give you immediate medication. It might slow down your cancer." _

_The brunette sighed and shook her head. "I… I won't take it." That surprised Dr. Nobleman and Draco. _

"_Hermione!" the blond exclaimed. _

_She looked at Draco, her best friend for six years, the only person who was right beside her after the war and gave him a small smile. She patted his right hand. "I will die soon anyway so… what's the point?" She looked back at Dr. Nobleman and gave him a smile, too. "Thank you, Dr. Nobleman. I have to go now." She clutched the envelope and walked out of the doctor's office. _

_Draco covered his face with his hands and released a small groan. Dr. Nobleman looked at him apologetically. _

"_I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy. I really am." _

**DMHGDMHGDMHG**

It had been three days since they discovered Hermione's disease. After the brunette left, Draco quickly apparated to his own house (smaller than the Malfoy Manor but way bigger than normal houses and Hermione's own apartment). He rushed to his bookshelf and snatched a dictionary.

**Cancer (kan-ser) n. genitive Can-cri:**

**1. Any malignant growth or tumor caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division; it may spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or the blood stream. **

Draco didn't care about the other definitions of cancer (the zodiac sign, the constellation, etc.) Malignant was the word. And it could spread to other parts of the body!

Hermione had the evilest, most hateful disease that was ever discovered by science.

Before he knew it, Draco threw the dictionary to the crackling fire in his fireplace.

Now, he was walking towards her apartment three days after Hermione received her result. It was nighttime already, streetlights lightening the streets. He was walking… thinking.

It was still too bizarre for him. How can she, the Gryffindor Lioness, have cancer? Hermione was healthy… too healthy, in Draco's opinion. She rarely got sick and if she did, she would heal quickly. She had a strong stamina, high metabolism, and all. She ate healthy food, following a strict diet.

So, how the bloody bleeding hell did she catch cancer?

Draco sighed and looked at the pavement. His hands unconsciously toyed with the pendant of his necklace around his neck. Actually, the pendant was a ring… an engagement ring. It was intricately and exquisitely designed. It was one and only.

And it was for Hermione.

He had been planning to propose to her for three years already. But he just didn't have the guts to kneel down on one knee in front of her and ask The Big Question. He was a born Slytherin, anyway. And she had refused a lot of her suitors in the past six years he was with her! That made him more cowardly. Plus, his father hated her mere existence. He hated it whenever she was within his eyesight. Narcissa, though, was another story. She _absolutely _adored Hermione.

The blond then arrived in front of her apartment (a modest, small one) and apparated inside. Wards and hexes were around Hermione's apartment so no one, except him, could go inside her own apartment without any warning.

Draco then sighed as he looked around her living room. They had been here a lot if they weren't working. They would sit down on her couch, eat popcorn and have a movie marathon (Muggle movies, of course). Now, the state of her living room was a total disaster. It was as if a tornado came. Empty ice cream cans were there, pieces of popcorn were strewn on the carpeted floor, some of her clothes were draped on her couches and DVDs were scattered around the room. Draco picked one. _A Walk to Remember_, the title said. He shook his head. They had watched it a few weeks ago and he could still remember the story. No wonder why Hermione watched it again. She could now relate with Jamie Sullivan, minus a Landon Carter in her life.

He looked up at her stairs, eyes immediately landing on her bedroom door. The blond trudged up, making sure that a frown was evident on his face so that if Hermione saw him, she would presume that he was upset about what she was doing to her life.

He wrenched her door open. "All right, Granger, stop moping around," Draco said, announcing his arrival. He immediately spotted her, sitting on her favorite swiveling chair. Hermione's chin was placed on top of her desk, her hands covering the top of her head. Her music box was open, her favorite music serenading her. An ice skater glided around a small rink, twirling and swirling at some time. It still made Draco think why it wasn't a ballerina. His mother owned one music box and a ballerina was there. Shouldn't music boxes have a ballerina instead of an ice skater?"

With a sigh, Draco approached Hermione in quick strides. "Granger, get a bloody grip! You're just killing yourself faster!" All right, he didn't mean to say that. He was just upset because she didn't even owl him or something like that.

Hermione mumbled something incoherent but he didn't quite catch it.

"What was that?" he asked with a frown.

She released a muffled sigh and lifted her head. A disgruntled expression was on her face, her eyes quite puffy and red. Draco could see dry tears on her cheek. "I wasn't moping around, Draco," she said.

Draco lifted an eyebrow, pointedly looking at the dry tears on her cheek.

"All right, fine," she grumbled, wiping away her dry tears. "I… I cried, you know. But only for a day, I swear. I mean…" Hermione sighed again and stood up, revealing her white tank top and shorts – her idea of pajamas. She rubbed her right eye and frowned.

And then, she looked at him, a grim expression evident on her face. "Of course, I cried. What if you just discovered that you're life will end soon?" Exasperatedly, she plopped down on her swiveling chair and covered her face with her hands.

"What's this I heard from your co-workers in the Ministry?" he asked, frowning. "You resigned from your work and why the hell did you do that?"

"Draco!" she exclaimed. "I have _lung cancer_. The reason why I took a medical check-up was to reassure the Ministry that I'm very healthy. Since I have this… this damnable disease, I'm not fit into being an Auror." Hermione sighed. "And besides, it's not my dream job, anyway."

The blond sighed and shook his head. "I bet that Weaselette will jump for joy once she discovered about your cancer, Beaver." That was downright insensitive of him, but then again, he was upset of everything that was happening.

Hermione sharply looked at him, eyes strangely glazed. "Please take that back," she said, followed by a strangled sob.

"Hermione! She left you for six years, for goodness sake! Good friend she is to you!" he snarled.

"Please, stop it," she pleaded, covering her face with her hands again. Draco's fury lessened upon seeing her cry. Talking about Ginny Weasley was a touchy subject for the brunette, even after six years.

"She blamed you for the death of her bloody fiancée and brother. That was stupid, wasn't it?" Draco said, enveloping the brunette into a hug who was now crying uncontrollably. Since she was seated and he was standing, her head ended buried against his stomach. He then sighed, patting her back gently. "I'm sorry," he said softly, apologetically, "That was very insensitive of me. I shouldn't have said that."

The brunette sniffed and wiped her tears against the back of her hand. She released a soft chuckle and said, "Goodness, this sickness of mine made me a huge human hosepipe."

Draco rubbed her back soothingly, making a small smile. He released her from his hug as she looked at her calendar, a thoughtful look seen on her face.

"I'm sorry, I haven't seen you for… what? Three days?" She looked away from the calendar to the blond in front of her. "I made you worried, didn't I?"

"Damn right that was," he said, backing away from her as he sat down on her comfy bed.

She chuckled as she looked at the notebook on top of her desk. "I wasn't lying when I said I cried for a day only," she said. With a sigh, she flipped her notebook open. "I didn't know I was thinking for two days!"

"Thinking about what?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Hermione looked back at him, a small smile seen on her face. "I made a list." She showed him her notebook. The blond squinted his eyes, mouthing the words.

"'The 11 Things I Want To Do Before I Die' a.k.a. '11 Things'," he said. His eyebrows shot up again as he stared at her in amusement. "Really, Granger." He stood up and snatched the notebook away from her and scanned its contents. "Why '11 Things'?"

"Well, why not?" she asked.

"Why not '10 Things'?" he offered. "I mean, ten is an even number."

"And?"

"Err… ten is perfect?" he asked, a charming smile on his face.

Hermione laughed and shook her head. "But that's… too cliché, Draco." She patted his arm and continued, "Before I die, I want to do something different."

He scoffed. "Typical." He looked at her notebook and scanned it again. "I presume that eleventh is the least thing you wanted to do and number one is the thing you most wanted to do." Hermione nodded her head. "Woah, wait a minute. There are only ten things here. Where's your number one?"

Hermione stood up from her swiveling chair and plopped down on her bed, face down. She rolled on her back and hugged her favorite huge stuffed toy, a ferret. It greatly resembled Draco when he was turned into a ferret on their fourth year. Hermione had it last Christmas. As a joke, Draco gave her a huge ferret stuffed toy while Hermione gave him a huge beaver. "That's what I was thinking," she said, eyes drooping and releasing a wide yawn.

The blond plopped down beside her, putting his left hand behind his head. The other was still clutching her notebook. "I'm going to be frank to you, Hermione, but some of the things here in your list are plain stupid."

Hermione faced him and scowled (quite sleepily). "Oh sod off," she said, pushing him with all of her strength until he fell with a loud thud on the floor, face down. He emitted a small groan while Hermione giggled.

She got off from her bed and sat down on his back.

"Merlin, woman, what the hell are you eating? Rocks?" Draco asked, grunting. "Get off me!"

Hermione rolled from his back and lied down beside him, eyes staring at her ceiling. "All right, fine, I admit."

"That you eat rocks?" he asked, mockingly surprised.

"No, you idiot, I admit that some of the things on my list are stupid… only a bit, I tell you!" she grumbled. The blond chuckled, still lying on his stomach. "But, I don't know, I'd thought of those for two days. I really thought hard, you know, Draco and I… I really like to do all of them."

He looked at her, left cheek pressed against her carpeted floor. He let his emotions show in his eyes as he gazed at beautiful Hermione Granger. Just thinking about her going to… to vanish soon was too much for him to handle. In those three days when they hadn't seen each other, Hermione wasn't the only one who was moping around, apparently.

Immediately snapping out of his reverie, he guarded his eyes again. Hermione looked at him then, eyes pleading. "You will help me, right?"

He smiled at her, a smile that was rarely seen on his face. "Of course, Granger. You're my best friend, anyway," he said.

Hermione smiled and released a wide yawn.

"All right, time for bed," he said.

"Yes, Daddy," Hermione tiredly said, now climbing up her bed. She hugged her favorite stuffed toy and closed her eyes. "Lock the door when you leave."

He smirked. "No 'Goodnight, Draco. Sweet Dreams or whatsoever'?"

Hermione gave him a sleepy smile. "Come here," she ordered.

Draco lifted an eyebrow but still approached her. The brunette wrapped her arms around his neck and placed a kiss on his forehead. "Goodnight, Draco."

He chuckled and kissed her cheek. "Sleep tight, Hermione," he whispered.

"Don't let the bed bugs bite," she whispered back, drifting to dreamland.

Once he made sure she was asleep, he walked towards the door. On his way out, he closed her music box, still thinking why it was an ice skater rather than a ballerina. He looked back at her list and produced another one. If he wanted to help Hermione, he had to do it as soon as possible.

**

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****A/N: And, that's the prologue. Liked it/Hated it so far? I know it's quite cliche and all... anyway, I'm sorry for the grammatical errors. I've planned in getting a beta reader but I just can't choose! Can someone volunteer? If someone did, I'll send you a copy of the outline of my story :D. By the way, this story will only be quite short (a total of thirteen chapters). **

**By the way, I'm not sure if a doctor can detect lung cancer through checking his/her blood (though, I presume he can). I mean, hello, I'm fourteen-years-old and still in first year high school! All I know that lung cancer is a silent killer. I'm not really an expert in this field. But, for the sake of my story, lets just pretend that all the things here are true :D  
**

**Oh, and for all of the PiD readers out there, I promise I'll update next week. **

**That's all. Review please! **


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Not yours. Only JK Rowling's.**

**A/N: So, I'm back. Here's chapter two of '11 Things'. Thanks for all those who reviewed the last chapter! Hugs and kisses to all you! So, just read chapter one! Review after reading, please!**

**Enjoy :D**

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****Chapter One: Water Gun War**

Six years had passed ever since the second war. It was a bloody one. Corpses, body parts, blood, and innards flew everywhere, making Hogwarts look as if it was a graveyard where bodies were messed up. A lot survived, living their life happily now in the present but, a lot had died, too, leaving their family members and friends mourning, up until now, for their deaths.

The Light Side had won, triumphing over the Dark Side. The Dark Lord was killed successfully by Harry Potter, The Chosen One. Before that, though, Ron Weasley was killed by Voldemort on his own hands. The Light Side rejoiced upon seeing Voldemort's own downfall. But their celebration was put into a stop once Bellatrix Lestrange, Voldemort's loyal Death Eater, killed Harry Potter out of despair for the death of her beloved Master.

That day, everybody mourned for their hero's own death.

People gathered around. They mourned, both who knew him personally and who didn't, including Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley.

Hermione's cries were heard amongst the group, parting for her to reach her dead best friends. She fell down on her knees and cried, trying to wake them up. For her, it was all a dream… a terrible dream… a nightmare. For her, it was all a terrible prank. It was as if her world crumbled into pieces once seeing them falling on the ground, lifeless… soulless. She wanted to die.

Ginny Weasley, fiancé of Harry Potter and sister of Ron Weasley, gave Hermione a pretty big slap in front of everybody. "It's your fault! It's your entire fault!" She had blamed her, Hermione – Gryffindor Lioness, best friend of The-Boy-Who-Lived, for their death. She blamed her, telling her she didn't do anything at all, that she was selfish for saving her life instead of theirs.

And then, she left Hermione Granger, all alone.

Hermione was all alone.

She had no relatives, her parents died just last summer when Voldemort and his minions barged in their own house. She was supposedly their target – their sole reason was to kill her. But fortunately, she wasn't there and killed her parents instead. It wasn't fortunate at all; she should have been there to save them. Both of her parents didn't have any siblings so, she didn't have any aunts, uncles, and cousins. Hermione was an only child and both of her grandparents in both sides were dead, too.

Her best friends left her. She was angry with them, telling them they were selfish for leaving her to journey life all alone. And now, her best girl friend left her, too, blaming her for the death of her fiancée and brother.

Most of her housemates were dead. Gryffindors fought bravely in the war, unfortunately, though, few of them survived including her.

**

* * *

**Draco Malfoy fought for the Light Side.

His family surprisingly switched sides a few months before the second war. Lucius Malfoy, his father, served as a spy for the Order of the Phoenix. It surprised Draco that his father decided to switch sides. All his life, he believed that Lucius Malfoy was pure evil and would be Voldemort's man through and through.

He hadn't mourned for Harry Potter's and Ron Weasley's death. He never was fond of both of them, anyway. It surprised him, though, when Ginny Weasley blamed Hermione Granger for their deaths. He had watched Granger throughout the war. He had seen her saving lives… saving other people from deaths. But, she failed to save her best friends, thus, being blamed by the she-Weasley.

They gave both Gryffindors a funeral, the Ministry giving them the Order of Merlin, First Class. A lot of people attend the funeral and for appearance's sake, Draco and his family were there.

Hermione Granger was no where to be seen.

It made him curious. After the funeral, she hadn't attended at all. When Draco was given the duty, as Head Boy, to help the teachers patrol Hogwarts (to look for other corpses and fix some damages), he had seen her in an abandoned classroom, seated at the very far and dark corner of the room. She was crying, head buried in between her knees.

Draco knew she had nothing anymore. He knew her parents died. He knew about Weaselette's abandonment (he just heard that she migrated to Romania with her brother, Charlie Weasley).

He wanted to leave. He never really was fond of Hermione Granger. She was an annoying, know-it-all, goody-two-shoes. She was too intelligent for her own good and Draco disliked it. He secretly never hated her, though. In fact, he admired her. He admired her intelligence and bravery and practicality and loyalty. She would stand up for anyone as long as they were right.

But for some strange reason, he approached her. He gave her a hug, comforted her, and soothed her. He brought her to St. Mungo's, which was now officially owned by the Malfoy family and there, her injuries were treated and all. He took care of her for months until she healed. She was traumatized, the Healer said. It would take her a few months before she completely healed physically and emotionally.

Draco was her only visitor. Everyday, he would visit her; give her some simple gifts and get-well-soon cards. At first, Hermione never talked to him. It was as if he didn't exist at all. But as days passed, she would talk to him casually for civility's sake until she opened up with him.

St. Mungo's finally agreed for Hermione to leave the hospital after a month. Hermione built her life, found a nice apartment and a job she at least like (though, it wasn't her dream job at all). She was hailed as one of the best Aurors the Wizarding World ever had. Secretly, though, Hermione always wanted to be a Healer.

Draco, for the first few days, visited her apartment and job sometimes until it became a habit to him and visited her _everyday_.

And thus, a strong friendship was created between Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger.

**

* * *

**_11. I want to be a child again._

"Hermione, are you in here?" Draco bellowed.

The brunette's head poked out of her kitchen. "I'm here!" she exclaimed. Draco strode towards the kitchen, a mouthwatering aroma greeting him.

Hermione was wearing a yellow apron tied around her. Her hair was tied into a loose bun while she cooked pancakes.

Draco grabbed one pancake on the plate and placed it inside his mouth. "Quite yummy, Granger," he said, swallowing it down. The brunette shook her head in amusement and continued to cook more pancakes.

The blond was about to pick another pancake when suddenly, Hermione swatted his hand away. "Stop eating my breakfast, Draco," she told him, eyes still trained on cooking her pancakes.

He scowled. "But, I'm hungry!" he whined, as if he was a five-year-old little boy.

Hermione rolled her eyes and looked at him. "Then go make your own breakfast," she told him. She averted her eyes away from the blond towards the pancakes. They were cooked already so she transferred them to the plate.

"But you make the best pancakes in the whole wide world!" he implored. And he wasn't lying at all. All the things that he ate in the Manor were fine. The house-elves did a fine job. Once he moved to his new house, he brought with him his personal house-elf, Jinky and with all honesty, he never had a decent meal ever since. Except though if he was eating outside (with Hermione) or eating the food that Hermione cooked.

"Why, thank you, Mr. Malfoy, but I'm already aware of that," she told him as she walked towards her small dining room and sat down. Draco trailed behind her towards the dining room and sat down beside her. Hermione grabbed her favorite mug and poured some coffee. "Want some coffee, though?"

"Yeah, fine," he grumbled. Her coffee tasted delicious, too, in his opinion.

Hermione grabbed _his _favorite mug (yes, yes, Draco had his own mug in Hermione's apartment) and poured coffee into it, too. She gave it to Draco who sniffed it. He liked sniffing his coffee before drinking it; Hermione had noticed that ever since they became best friends.

"Why are you here in my apartment, by the way?" she asked, sipping coffee. She grabbed a fork and started to slice her pancake after she poured down some maple syrup.

"Well," the blond started, "I'm here to invite you to a birthday party."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "But it's still January, Draco. You're birthday is on June," she reasoned out.

"Glad you remember," he grinned. "And I didn't say it was _my _birthday party. It's my cousin's birthday. You know, Felicity? I remember we talked about her one time."

"Oh yeah, Felicity, your favorite cousin" she said, removing her hair tie and running a hand through her tresses. "How old is she?"

"She'll be seven tomorrow," the blond said. "Aunt Gwyneth, Father's younger sister, decided to have a garden birthday party for her only girl. And, well, I'm surprised that it will be a little Muggle-ish. All the children, though, are from wizarding families. What do you call those people who have too much make-up on and are funny?"

"Clowns," Hermione pointed out. "There will be clowns? Wow, that's new. Where will it happen?"

"In Aunt Gwyneth's house," Draco said, shrugging. "There will be parlor games, I think that's what they're called."

"Ooh, I missed those good ol' days. I used to join a lot of parlor games," Hermione said, grinning. "So, I'm invited?"

He nodded his head. "So, are you going because I don't want to be surrounded by bunch of annoying, whining babies."

"You're coming?" she asked, surprised.

The blond nodded, a scowl on his face. "Apparently," he said. "Aunt Gwyneth and her husband can't come to Felicity's birthday party and the bloody kiddo had a huge tantrum. She only calmed down when Aunt Gwyneth promised her that I will be there to her party. So, I had no choice. Well, are you coming?"

A thoughtful look was seen on Hermione's face. "Is your father coming?" she asked, a scowl tugging at the corner of her mouth. Apparently, Lucius hate towards her wasn't one-sided at all.

Draco smirked and shook his head. "If you're coming, we'll be the only grown-ups in the party. We're going to be somewhat like chaperones to them."

"All right, I'll come," she said, grinning. She finished her pancake and stood up. "So, what time will you apparate here?"

"We won't apparate," the blond said, making Hermione curious as she sipped on her coffee. "We're going to drive there."

Hermione choked on her coffee and looked at him, bewildered. "Drive there? But I don't know how to drive, Draco!" she exclaimed.

"Silly Granger," he said, shaking his head. "_I'm_ going to drive us to Aunt Gwyneth's house."

The brunette had a funny look on her face. "You're kidding, right?" she asked.

Draco rolled his eyes and pulled out his wallet from his pocket. He opened it and showed her his driver's license. "I passed the driving lessons, Beaver. See, here's my proof."

"Woah," the brunette said. "You never told me you were learning how to drive!"

"Can't a man hide some secrets, huh?" he asked, a small smirk on his face. "I drove towards your apartment, you know."

Hermione gaped. "No way!" she exclaimed. "So, what's your car?"

"Well, it's a Mercedes Benz," he casually said, removing dirt from his finger with a frown.

The brunette's jaw dropped further, if it was even impossible. "Can I see it?!" she squealed in delight. She always had been a fan of cars.

"Suit yourself," he said and watched in amazement as Hermione made a mad dash towards her main door. "OH MY GOD, DRACO MALFOY! YOU DIDN'T TELL ME IT'S A MERCEDES BENZ SLK 55!"

Draco rolled his eyes and walked outside her apartment, seeing the brunette fawning over his new car.

"Seriously, Hermione," the blond said, amused. "It's only a car."

"Only a car? ONLY A CAR?!" she exclaimed. "This must be one of the best cars I had ever seen in my whole life. I can't wait to ride on it later!"

Draco smirked at her. "Well, Hermione Granger, remember this. Malfoys always get the best."

The brunette rolled her eyes and grinned at him. "Yes, yes, I know. You pointedly made everyone remember when we were still studying in Hogwarts."

The blond smirked widened. "So, Hermione, I'll fetch you at exactly one o'clock p.m. Is that all right?"

"Yeah, yeah sure, now shoo! I still have to clean my whole house! Merlin, it was as if a huge tornado came inside," she fussed and walked inside her house. "See you later, Draco."

The blond gave a small wave and rode his car. His plan was starting to happen.

**

* * *

**"All set, Beaver?" Draco asked, wearing his favorite green shirt (with a print that says: 'SLYTHERIN RULES!') and the usual blue jeans.

"Yes, yes, I'm ready," the brunette said, wearing a blouse with three-fourths sleeves and blue skirt that ended a few inches above her knee. Her hair was tied into a loose bun and Draco noticed a few hints of make-up on her face. Her get-up was simple, yes, but Hermione still hadn't failed to look gorgeous. "I can't believe I'm riding a Mercedes Benz."

Draco rolled his eyes and opened the door of his car for her.

"Thanks," she said, slipping inside his car. Draco jogged towards the other side, then opened the car door, and slipped inside his car. The blond removed the roof of his new car, making Hermione more amazed.

"Stop looking like that, Granger. It's as if you have never seen a car in your whole life before," he mocked, earning a scowl from the brunette. He grabbed his sunglass and wore it, looking from left to right.

"Do you always have to look cool, Malfoy?" Hermione asked, frowning at him.

"Of course," the blond said, giving him a charming smile. "Maybe, I'll meet the right girl for me later or something. I should look cool for her, you know."

"Yeah, yeah, just drive," the brunette scoffed, inspecting from one button to another.

"I'm warning you. Don't push anything," Draco said.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine. Now, drive. We're going to be late for your cousin's seventh birthday party."

"Just relax," he said, igniting the car. Hermione fastened her seat belt and glared at him.

"I'm warning you, I don't want to die earlier than my deadline so drive safely, Ferret," she said.

Draco scoffed. "I can drive, thank you very much." He steered the wheel and the car moved.

Hermione was impressed the whole journey. Draco Malfoy could pretty much drive smoothly, in her opinion.

**

* * *

**"Draco! You came! You came!" a pretty blonde girl exclaimed. Hermione looked from her to the smirking blond. They resembled so much. Someone who really didn't know them might mistake them as siblings.

"Kiddo!" the blond exclaimed, giving the birthday girl a big hug. "Quite a big girl now, huh? The last time I saw you, you were shorter."

Felicity puffed out her chest. "I grew a few inches taller!" she exclaimed, showing the trademark Malfoy smirk. Her eyes then averted away from her favorite cousin towards the brunette standing beside him. "Oh, so you're Hermione Granger! Draco talks a lot about you!"

"Yes, I'm Hermione Granger, the one and only," the brunette grinned, sticking out her right hand. Instead of shaking her hand, Felicity gave Hermione a hug, surprising her. She looked at Draco and he just shrugged.

"She likes hugging people," he told her.

"Happy Birthday," the brunette said, pulling out a gift from her pocket. Felicity clutched it, her eyes sparkling.

"What's this? What's this?" she asked excitedly, shaking the gift against her ear.

"No opening of gifts until the party ends," Draco reminded her. "Aunt Gwyneth personally told me."

Felicity scowled. "Mommy's not here so why do I care?" she asked, her scowl deepening.

Draco sighed and shook his head.

"I'm sorry your mother can't come to your birthday party," Hermione offered, an apologetic smile seen on her face.

"Nah, I'm used to it," Felicity said. "Mommy always leaves me here in the house with the house-elves." The blonde girl clutched Hermione's hand with her right hand and clutched Draco's hand with the other. "Come on, they are already waiting for the party to start!"

**

* * *

**"Let's play Musical Chairs!" Felicity announced to the entire bunch of kids around her. The two, young adults were standing at the very back. They were really acting like chaperones to all of the children present in Felicity's birthday party.

"Ooh, Musical Chairs," Hermione said, beaming amidst the excited screams of the other kids. "I missed playing that game."

"Yeah?" the blond asked in a bored tone, inspecting his nails.

"Yeah," the brunette said, looking at him fully. A smirk started to grow on her face, though, when an idea suddenly struck her. "Why don't you join?"

Draco rolled his eyes and snorted. "Well, hello, I'm twenty-five years old while all of them are seven-years-old or younger. I'll be making a fool of myself, you know."

Hermione frowned. "Come on, please, join them!" she whined. "If you don't, I'm going to apparate back to my apartment and leave you all alone here in this _boring _birthday party. You hear me?" Now, she was lying when she said it was 'boring'. It was quite fun, actually. This birthday party brought good memories back.

"Loud and clear." The blond sighed resignedly and walked towards the chairs, grumbling softly to himself. Hermione beamed.

"Go Ferret, Go!" she shouted encouragingly, hands cupping her mouth to amplify her voice.

Draco made a rude gesture which earned a rolling of eyes from the brunette.

The blond found himself amidst five other little kids. He was actually the tallest among the other five. He then looked at the chairs – there were five of them. He had heard about Musical Chairs before and for him, it was a stupid game. Children would fight over the chairs and all… plain stupidity.

Music started to erupt around the garden. The five children already walked around the chairs and Draco had no choice but to follow them. Some of the other players were dancing with the music and that made Draco frown. His cheeks grew hot, though, when he noticed at the corner of his eyes that some of the children were laughing at him.

The music stopped and immediately, Draco sat down on a vacant chair. One child was out and he came back to the crowd, scowling disappointedly. They removed another chair so, there were four chairs, four kids, and an adult left in the game.

Once the music started, the blond sought Hermione in the crowd. When he finally found her, his cheeks grew redder – she was laughing at him, too. He glared at her, a small growl escaping his lips. Thank Merlin he loved her. If he hadn't, he would have hexed her into oblivion.

The music stopped and again, he sat on a vacant chair. Another kid, this time crying, went back to the audience. Felicity removed another chair, catching Draco's eyes and giving him a small wink.

The music started again, and Draco looked back at Hermione. She caught his eyes and her smile widened, her laughter became louder. The blond sighed and shook his head. He really should have told her a while ago that she looked absolutely beautiful.

The music stopped and Draco sat down on a vacant chair. Another kid was disqualified. Now, three of them were left. Two chairs were left, too.

"I don't know why I didn't disqualify myself the first time the music stopped," the blond grumbled to himself once the music started again.

Soon, there were two of them left – Draco and a little kid. He heard his favorite cousin calling her Cynthia. And then the music started.

The blond followed the kid's lead. She skipped around the chair, happy that she reached the final round. A sulking Draco Malfoy followed her, a stubborn pout adorning his face.

And then, the music stopped. Without thinking, he pulled the chair towards himself even if the child was preparing to sit down. So, Draco sat down on the chair, smiling smugly at Hermione. Cynthia's butt, though, fell flat on the floor with a loud 'thud'. The little girl's eyes misted and then, she started to wail loudly.

Frustrated, Draco covered his ears and was surprised when Hermione suddenly came in and carried the crying girl in her arms. The brunette was glaring at him, a disapproving frown on her face.

"What? I was just trying to win!" he reasoned out, standing up from his chair.

"There, there, stop crying, honey," Hermione comforted, eyes still glaring at the blond. "Well, you don't have to cheat, you bloody moron!" she exclaimed, briefly forgetting that children were surrounding them.

"Well, it's your damn fault because you forced me to join this stupid game!" he exclaimed back, also forgetting to watch his language since children were gazing up at them, amazed.

"You cheated, I saw you!" the brunette exclaimed, pointing a finger at the blond.

"Yeah, Hermione! Go kick his butt!"

Draco whipped his head around and glared at the birthday girl, smirking widely towards the brunette. He could see admiration in her eyes. Hermione, in the other hand, laughed heartily and shook her head.

"Here, since it's your fault, you comfort her," she said. "And if she still didn't stop crying, I'm going to apparate back to my apartment and leave you here." She passed the still crying little girl to the scowling blond.

"That's not fair, Hermione!" he whined but Hermione refused to listen to him. Instead, she arranged all the children to sit down since the clowns would entertain them soon.

"Bloody Beaver, she is," the blond said to himself.

The girl just cried loudly.

**

* * *

**"Aren't they supposed to be funny?" Draco asked, frowning towards the clowns. He had comforted Cynthia a while ago so now, she joined her other friends.

Hermione sighed. "Yes," she told him, crossing her arms.

"Well, they're not funny at all," he said. "What I don't get, though, is why all of them are laughing."

"Draco, they're kids. It's just natural that people can make them laugh easily," Hermione reasoned out. She then stretched out her arms and released a wide yawn.

Draco noticed her actions and looked at her disapprovingly. "Tired already?" he asked.

The brunette looked at him and smiled. "Guess I couldn't sleep yesterday," she told him.

"Hermione, you very well know that's bad for your health," he scolded, wagging a finger in front of her face.

Hermione swatted his finger away and sighed. "I know that," she told him. "But, what can I do? I couldn't sleep."

"You could have called me and I'll make you sleep," he offered.

The brunette softly laughed. "I know you were tired so I didn't bother you anymore," she said.

"I could have lulled you to sleep," he grumbled.

"And then what? Make me deaf because of your _lovely _voice?" Hermione laughed upon seeing Draco's scowl. "Really, Draco, thanks for the offer but, I really didn't want to bother you."

"What if I wanted you to bother me?" he asked.

"Then, you won't treat me into eating Coffee Crumble anymore," she said. "I know you too well, Draco. You're too grumpy for your own good when you're sleepy."

Draco pursed his lip tighter, forming it into a thin line. He opened his mouth to say something but decided against it, closing his mouth abruptly again. But then, he opened his mouth and before he knew it, he asked her the question that had been bugging him ever since he discovered that she was dying, "Hermione, why did you refuse to take the medication?"

The brunette was surprised. She looked at him, quirking one eyebrow up. "Why did you suddenly asked that?"

The blond shrugged, looking at her pointedly.

Hermione sighed and looked at her lap. She started to wring her wrist again. "To be honest, Draco, I don't know why. I mean, it's cancer we're talking about. It's a bloody disease. It's deadly. And truth be told, I have little hope of being cured."

"I talked to Dr. Nobleman after you left the hospital," he said quietly, voice unfamiliar to himself. "He told me the treatment, chemotherapy, can help you live longer."

"That's the right word, Draco. _Longer_," Hermione said with a sigh. "Why prolong the agony? I know this chemotherapy would help me a little. Cancer never had a cure, you know. Chemotherapy might only stop its growth."

"You're being too pessimistic, Hermione," he pointed out.

Hermione sighed. "I know," she said. "Grandpa Max, Mother's father, died a few years after mother was born. And you know the reason? Lung cancer. Same as mine. Mother told me he took the medication… underwent chemotherapy. But where did it lead him – death."

"At least it can help you live longer than your deadline," he whispered more.

"Again, why prolong the agony?" she asked him.

"Granger, you're scaring me here," Draco said, looking a bit panicky. "You make it look like that you're accepting your cancer already and that you're ready to embrace death."

"Well, I am," she told him. "I've seen death and I knew it's inevitable. It's funny how fast I accepted my sickness."

"Well, I'm not," he told her frankly. Hermione looked at him, surprised. "I'm not ready to let you go, Beaver. It's too early."

The brunette looked at him dejectedly. She clutched his right hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'm sorry," she said sincerely.

Draco sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his free hand. "Don't be, Hermione," he told her. "I know you're just being a bloody proud Gryffindor."

She released a small chuckle. "I guess I'll be a Gryffindor forever and always," she said.

He gave her a small smirk. "Guess so."

**

* * *

**"_Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday to you!_"

"Make a wish, Felicity!" Hermione encouraged, grinning at the seven-year-old. Felicity closed her eyes for a few minutes. She then opened her eyes and blew her seven candles, earning applause from the other kids.

"Now, go eat!" the brunette happily said, ushering them all to the buffet table.

"I'm going to the loo," Draco told her and walked back inside the house.

Hermione looked back at him, a thoughtful look on her face. Draco had surprised her greatly when he acted like that. He surprised her when he suddenly asked her that question. He seemed… like a different person. She would have loved to talk to him more (about other things now), but then, the kids started to chant 'Blow the candle! Blow the candle!' so she rushed towards them and lit Felicity's birthday cake.

The brunette looked around and then, saw piles and piles of water guns scattered on one corner in the garden. An idea suddenly struck her, her smirk widening impishly.

This would be fun.

**

* * *

**Once Draco arrived back to his Aunt Gwyneth's garden, he raised an eyebrow. Hermione was looking at him deviously, her hands behind her back. "What?" he asked, confused and suspicious.

He looked around and saw all the children beside her, their hands, like Hermione's, were behind their backs. Felicity was standing closer to Hermione, looking very Malfoy-ish with that trademark smirk plastered on her face.

Draco narrowed his eyes into thin slits. It was silent… too silent… eerily silent and he had a feeling something would erupt. "Felicity," he said threateningly, eyes trained on his little cousin. His eyes then averted towards the brunette. "Granger, I don't like that look on your face."

Hermione suddenly smirked liked a Malfoy. She looked from one child to another. "Children," she announced. Draco noticed the excitement bubbling in each child. She looked back at the blond and her smirk widened. "Ready!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. All the kids straightened themselves. "Aim!" Draco watched in amusement when they all produced water guns from their back and pointed them towards the blond. "FIRE!"

Before he knew it, Draco was being squirted with water.

"Stop it! Damn it, stop it!" he shouted, trying to block the water from his eyes. "Get away from me! Get away from me!"

All the children were laughing and squealing in delight. But one laughter was the only thing Draco could hear.

"GRANGER!"

**

* * *

**"All right, it's time for us to go," Hermione announced after drying every people in the garden (including Draco). "Your parents will come here soon to fetch all of you. Goodbye. I really had so much fun. And Felicity" – the birthday girl looked at her, a wide grin on her face – "happy birthday again."

The little Malfoy rushed towards her and gave her a hug. "Goodbye, Hermione," she said. To the brunette's surprise, all of the children gave her a big hug, making her laugh loudly. At the corner of her eyes, she caught Draco's amused look.

"All right, all right," she said, pulling them gently away from her. "It's time for us to go."

"Bye, Hermione!" they said, waving their hands as the brunette grabbed the blond's arm and pulled him towards his car. Draco pulled his arm away from her, a scowl adorning his handsome face.

"Aww, come on, Draco," she said, opening the car door. She slipped inside and fastened her seatbelt. The blond mimicked her actions and ignited the car into life. "You're seriously not upset with me anymore."

Draco snorted and steered the steering wheel but he didn't say anything.

"Draco," she whined. "That's not fair. We were just having fun back there. No need to have a temper tantrum, Ferret."

"Fun? You call that fun?!" he roared. "Merlin, Granger, you _schemed _with those bunch of imps. That was very childish of you!"

Hermione opened her mouth and was about to retort something back when suddenly, something dawned to her.

"What?" the blond asked, surprised that she didn't retort something back.

A wide smile suddenly was seen on Hermione's face. "Hey, that was on my list! Number Eleven: I want to be a child again! Ooh, I can't believe I accomplished that one! Thank you so much for bringing me to your cousin's birthday party, Draco."

The blond nodded his head, eyes trained in front. Inside his mind, he was thinking of only one thing.

'_Mission Accomplished,' _he thought. Draco then made a mental note to treat his annoying (though most favorite) cousin ice cream for helping the brunette accomplish his plan.

**

* * *

****A/N: So, end of chapter. Time for your reviews. For your information, I'm still looking for a willing beta reader. I'm going to update PiD on Tuesday or Wednesday, people. Just check your emails… Again, review! **


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Not yours. Only JK Rowling's. **

**A/N: And, here's the next chapter. I'm so sorry for telling all of you that I'll post the next chapter of PiD! I still haven't written the next chapter, would you believe that? These past few days were so, so busy. **

**Anyway, just read this. **

**

* * *

****Chapter Two: Secret Errand**

_  
10. I want to have tree house._

"So, what's the deal between you and tree houses?" Draco asked, feet propped up on Hermione's coffee table. He grabbed a handful of popcorn from the bowl in between them and placed it inside his mouth. They had just finished watching the DVDs that Draco had brought to watch.

Hermione eyed him disgustingly and shook her head. "Well, what's the deal between you and Quidditch?" she asked. Draco rolled his eyes at her and the brunette sighed. "Well, when I was a little kid, I persuaded my father to build me my own tree house in the backyard. And my reason? I was so envious of the fact that our neighbor had one and I didn't. Being the one and only girl, my father agreed."

"Sometimes, I watched him build it. But father was one busy dentist so, when I went to Hogwarts when I was eleven-years-old, the tree house still wasn't finished… it was never completed. I planned to do it magically though, but I always really wanted to have a tree house that was Muggle made. It just makes me feel extra special when a person builds it for me with all his effort. And I don't just mean waving their magical stick around," she answered him honestly. "My supposed tree house is still standing in my old back garden. I'll let you see it, someday."

"Right," he said, eyes looking faraway. The gears in his mind were working double-time. He had succeeded in helping Hermione complete her first goal. Now, he had to think… and bloody fast in order to help Hermione. Actually, he already had a plan. He knew that the brunette wanted a Muggle-made tree house and so, he would hire more than thirty carpenters to build one for her in his own backyard. And with a bit of wandless magic, they were arriving at his house. He expected that they would call soon to determine the details of what had to be done. He had his cell phone in his pocket, ready… yes, Hermione had influenced him with Muggle technology; his new car was a proof.

"You know," the brunette softly said. There was something in her tone that made Draco's head snap immediately towards her. "I… I asked my best friends to build me one in the Burrow." And the blond knew perfectly well that she was talking about Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. Just like Ginny Weasley, talking about the two of them was still a touchy subject for the brunette, even after six years. "They agreed, Draco, but they never had the chance and time to do it. There was a war impeding… we were always on adventures so, how can they build me my tree house? And I bet they forgot about it a few days after I said it."

The brunette sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I have this stupid belief, you know. I believe that if someone made me a tree house, it would mean that they cared a lot about me."

Draco stared at her, eyes calculating. He jumped an inch or two when his cell phone suddenly rang, its shrill beeping snapping him back to reality. He cursed inaudibly, pulling the offending object from his pocket. He pushed the answer button and placed the cell phone against his ear. "Yes, hello?" he asked.

Hermione watched him as he talked to his cell phone.

"Cancel it," the blond said, his tone haughty. He paused and the brunette looked amused when a scowl appeared on his face. "I said cancel it, damn it! I don't care if they're ready. Just cancel it." And then, with a quick jab of a button, he ended the conversation.

"What was that?" Hermione asked. "You look kind of pissed."

The blond rolled his eyes, a good lie starting to formulate in his mind. "I cancelled my order of two boxes of pizzas," he explained. "Let's just say he didn't like it since they were prepared already."

"Oh," the brunette said, frowning. "Well" – she looked at her watch – "time for my bed. I'll just see you tomorrow, Ferret."

"I can't, Granger," the blond said, surprising Hermione. Draco always said 'yes' every time she invites him to her apartment. "I've got work to do."

"When did the great Malfoy heir start working diligently?" the brunette teased.

The blond shrugged. "I'm a Healer, Hermione, and my Father owns the business. He threatened to sack me if I didn't show up tomorrow."

The brunette laughed. "All right, all right."

"Goodbye, Beaver," he said, kissing Hermione's forehead. "Sleep tight."

She grinned sleepily. "Don't let the bed bugs bite," she continued before Draco apparated back to his own house.

**

* * *

**"Draco Malfoy?" Hermione exclaimed. She had just apparated to his house, hands full of new DVDs she bought from a store. "Ferret?! Where are you?!"

The brunette glanced around his house. She had been in the Malfoy Manor mostly when Lucius Malfoy, King of Jerks, was away) a few times before, specially if Narcissa invited her for tea and chatting, but if she had to choose between the Malfoy Manor or Draco's own house, she would choose his house every time. Hands down. Goodness, the Malfoy Manor was so gloomy; a person might think there was a funeral inside. But in Draco's house, it was the complete opposite. It was bright… too bright actually. Everything was warm… welcoming… inviting. That was why Hermione treated his home as her second home. It was just so… so Draco-ish. The brunette couldn't imagine how he survived living in the dreary Manor for all of those years.

Hermione then approached his kitchen, the blond's favorite place. She still couldn't understand what the deal with food and boys was. She had seen a lot of people who had a huge appetite. And honestly, Draco had the biggest, most humongous appetite she had ever encountered in her whole life. What she couldn't understand, though, was how he could still look perfectly fit and healthy even if he gorged on chocolate frogs at any and every opportunity. Merlin, he had a bigger appetite than Ron…and that was saying something!

She made an abrupt halt, jaw hanging open. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, Hermione, there you go again," she said, rubbing her right eye. She was surprised to notice it was slightly wet.

The brunette shook her head. Well, that was her reaction every time she reminisced about her deceased best friends.

With a sigh, Hermione continued her small, but none the less difficult, quest of finding Draco. She walked up the stairs and approached his bedroom. Truth be told, his bedroom was Hermione's most favorite place in the whole house. Who knew that Draco's most favorite color was really red? The major color of his room was a good proof. He could even rival with her! And she liked his bed. She had slept on it at times (LITERALLY!) and it was… just right. Like how Goldilocks found Baby Bear's bed. And my God, he had a huge bookshelf with all of her favorite books on it. Apparently, his bedroom was Hermione's dream bedroom.

But hey, Hermione was just an average person while her blond best friend was filthy rich. She'd bet that his bedroom cost as much as her kitchen and dining room, maybe the bathroom as well.

Draco was nowhere to be seen in his bedroom. _'Weird,'_ she told herself. _'I guess he's working right now.'_ Hermione chuckled to herself and shook her head. _'I can't believe that prick is working diligently these days. I wonder what Lucius did to make him work harder.'_

Hermione approached his bed and sat down on it. She grabbed the beaver (representing her, of course) she gave Draco on Christmas Day and hugged it close to herself. She caught a faint whiff of Draco's cologne and sighed. So many things had changed after the second war ended. Just look at her and Draco Malfoy. Hermione never imagined in her whole life that she would like his company above all people. They were practically inseparable, as what Narcissa told them once. Everywhere Hermione went, Draco had to be there. Everywhere Draco went, Hermione had to be there. It was a must… a law. They had vowed to do that.

"Hermione, what are you doing here?"

The brunette looked at his doorway. Lo and behold, Draco Malfoy stood, disheveled, sweaty and looked liked he would pass out soon because of tiredness. Standing up, Hermione shook her head disapprovingly. "I was just looking for you," she said, slowly approaching him. The stuffed toy was still close against Hermione's chest. "Draco, you look like hell," she told him, eyes squinting slightly as she surveyed him from head to toe. "What happened to you?"

Draco snatched his beloved stuffed toy away from Hermione and placed it on his bed. He quickly grabbed her arm and apparated them back to her apartment.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, taking a minute to get over a sudden feeling of dizziness.

The blond plopped down on her couch with a tired sigh. He leaned his head against it and placed his feet on top of the coffee table. "I'm just" – he released a huge yawn – "so bloody tired." He placed a hand over his eyes and took a deep breath.

Hermione frowned. She had never seen him so tired before. She sat herself down on the couch beside him and removed his hand from his eyes. "What did you do?" she asked him.

"Healed people, Beaver. I'm a Healer, for your information," he muttered, eyes drooping slightly.

"You're lying," she stated, eyes narrowing instantly. "Healers don't get as tired as you so obviously are right now."

Draco gave her a sleepy smile. "You really can read me easily, can't you?"

Hermione shrugged nonchalantly. "Of course, you're my best friend after all," she reminded him.

The blond sighed and stood up. "I can't talk to you right now, Hermione. I still have to do my errand," he said, preparing to apparate.

"Whoa, wait!" she exclaimed. "You're still going to work? Merlin, Draco! Look at yourself. You look like hell… no, you look worse than hell! If this bloody errand of yours is doing that to you, then I suggest you quit doing it right now!"

Draco rolled his eyes. "I can't. She'll be disappointed with me."

"Who?"

He gave her a smirk. "No one, Granger," he said. "Got to go now, though. Ciao!"

"Fine, be that way!" the brunette spat, utterly upset. The DVDs she bought now sat ignored on her coffee table. "You'll find yourself ignored by me, Ferret! You hear me?!"

"Loud and clear." And with that, he apparated back to his own house, leaving a gaping Hermione.

Unbelievable!

The brunette slouched down on the couch again and crossed her arms over her chest. She was starting to think that this secret errand of his was _way more important_ to him than she was.

Hermione huffed and rolled her eyes. She promised herself that she wouldn't talk to him for a whole week.

**

* * *

**Hermione didn't want to change her mind, but in the end she only lasted three days. On the fourth day, she found herself back in Draco's living room.

She scowled at his couch, the couch where they used to sit and talk about something, anything, and everything. All right, fine, she couldn't avoid him for a whole bloody week. She just couldn't. Just like what Narcissa told them they were inseparable. And those three days were plain miserable for Hermione. She couldn't survive a day without at least seeing his way-too-perfect face and hearing his annoying drawl.

Her scowl widened. Hermione couldn't believe she would be so attached to Draco Malfoy.

"Jinky!" she called the blond's personal house-elf. Draco had instructed his house-elf to see Hermione as her mistress, much to Hermione's annoyance. She didn't like a house-elf following her orders. She once bribed Draco to sack Jinky and do all the chores to himself (apparently, it failed). Even though Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare a.k.a. S.P.E.W. was already way dead, Hermione still couldn't help but feel that house-elves should have rights.

And so, Hermione made herself promise that she would only call Jinky if it was an emergency. And knowing what Draco was up to was considered as one.

A soft pop was heard and Jinky appeared in front of the brunette. "Mistress Hermione," she said, bowing politely, "Jinky is summoned. What does Mistress Hermione want Jinky to do?"

Hermione frowned. This was really against her wishes. "Do you know what your Master Draco does every day?" she asked.

Unfortunately, Jinky shook her head. "Master Draco forbids Jinky to come to the backyard. Master Draco said he'll sack Jinky if I disobeyed Master's orders."

The brunette's frown deepened. "So, he's in the backyard right now?" she asked.

Draco's personal house-elf nodded. "Jinky is starting to get worried for Master Draco, Mistress Hermione. Jinky sometimes sees Master Draco sleeping on the couch, too tired to go up to his bedroom. Please, Mistress Hermione, tell Master Draco to stop working so hard. Jinky's worrying." Jinky started to get a little teary-eyed.

Hermione sighed. "Oh, what is he doing to himself?" she asked, hand wringing her wrist. "All right, Jinky. Thank you. You may now go back to what you were doing before I called you."

Jinky bowed down again politely. "It's a pleasure serving Mistress Hermione. Please call Jinky if Mistress needs something from Jinky again."

"Yes, yes, I will," the brunette said, already distracted. She hadn't heard Jinky's apparation because she had dashed towards Draco's backyard.

Hermione never really had been in his back garden. She hadn't bothered to look at it, honestly. And to her knowledge, Draco also didn't go to his backyard often. So, when Jinky revealed to her that Draco spent most of his time there, doing his damnable secret errand, Hermione knew that there was something going on in the ex-Slytherin Prince's mind.

And she had to find out.

The brunette opened the sliding door separating and stepped out.

What she saw in front of her made her jaw drop. Her eyes widened as she looked at the almost-finished tree house in front of her. All it lacked a door. Draco was there, underneath the tree huge tree that supported it. He was cutting wood, in the brunette's opinion. She could already see tiredness written all over his face. He was sweating profusely. The brunette could also see some wounds on Draco's arms.

Her eyes started to water and her bottom lip started to quiver. So, this was his 'secret errand', huh?

Draco had spotted her and his eyes instantly grew larger. He started to become panicky and anxious, seeing a silently crying brunette watching him, arms crossed against her chest.

"What are you doing here, Granger?!" he exclaimed, abandoning his work. "You shouldn't be here!" Draco looked back at the tree house and cursed loudly. "Damn it, did Jinky tell you where I am? You weren't supposed to know about this until tomorrow!" He then looked back at Hermione and frowned. "Granger, why are you crying?"

And the next thing he knew, he was enveloped tightly between Hermione Granger's arms. She didn't care if he really sweaty and was partly covered in blood. She just had to hug him. "So this is your bloody secret errand, eh?" she sobbed, face pressed against his shoulder. "Why the hell did you hide this from me?"

"Hermione, it was a _secret_, hello?" he said, rolling his eyes as he pulled her away from him. "So, now, pray tell, why are you crying?"

"I don't know," she wailed, covering her eyes with her hands. Draco let out a snort of laughter and shook his head.

"Women and their bloody tears," he said, picking up the saw again. Now, please move a little away from me. I still need to finish the door for your tree house."

"You actually made this all by yourself?" she asked, looking at her new tree house with awe and pride.

Draco nodded. "Without magic, I tell you," he grunted "I'll just finish your door and then we'll talk."

"Ferret, please take a bath after this," the brunette said, grinning at him appreciatively. "You stink."

The blond scowled. "Thanks," he sarcastically said, making her giggle a little.

**

* * *

**"Oh, it's so beautiful," the brunette gushed as she looked around her new tree house. She glanced back at Draco (he was just finished taking a bath and was now looking as fresh as ever, though, still tired) and flashed him a huge smile. "Thank you, Draco. Really."

The blond rolled his eyes and released a wide yawn. "You have said that for the umpteenth time, Hermione. Stop it already," he grumbled under his breath as he sat down on the wooden floor, Indian Style.

Hermione sighed and walked out of her new tree house. She sat near the edge and gaze up at the night sky. She could see all the constellations that she knew and smiled. She had always liked stars and stargazing was one of her favorite hobbies. "Well, I can't help thanking you again and again, Draco," she told him.

She heard his footsteps and the next thing she knew, he was sitting beside her. "I mean, look at this tree house. Honestly, it's way better than the one father was trying to finish back home. And" – she looked at him – "look at you. You're so, so tired. I bet that this is the hardest, most tiring thing you had ever done in your whole life."

Draco nodded. "Yup," he said, rubbing his tired, right eye. "It's harder than battling in the war, I must say. I had a wand back there. I could use magic. But this tree house of yours, you have so many demands. You wanted it to be _Muggle-made_. I swear, I was tempted to use magic within those five days just to get your bloody tree house finished."

She looked at him, a small smile adorning her face. "Well, you could have, Draco," she told him. "If that would have made your job easier, then you should have."

He shook his head. "Then, you haven't accomplished your tenth goal," he told her.

"I didn't write on my notebook _'10. I want to have a tree house, strictly Muggle-made,'_" she said, making him chuckle slightly. "And besides, you're so tired now…"

"Now, don't get so guilty, Granger," he warned her. "I _decided_ to make this tree house for you, all alone and in the Muggle way."

"You could have asked helped from some people like… I dunno, carpenters," Hermione told him, now frowning slightly.

"I had planned to, you know," he said. "Remember the phone call I received that made me a bit pissed. It was someone who was telling me that all the carpenters I hired were ready. I cancelled it after you told me about this belief of yours." He released another yawn and shook his head.

"You know, this is one of the nicest things anyone had ever done to me," she whispered, eyes closed and appreciating the cold breeze that swept against her cheek. To her surprise, Draco's head ended leaning on top of her left shoulder. Her eyes snapped open and looked at him. At first, she thought he was asleep but then, he opened his eyes slowly.

"I had to prove myself to you, Hermione," he told her softly. "I had to prove that I've changed already. I had to prove that I'm not that fucking bastard I was when we were still studying in Hogwarts. I had to prove that I do care about you, a lot, because you're my best friend now. You were my first and probably, you'll be the last."

Hermione gave him a smile and wrapped her left arm around his waist. "You really shouldn't have bothered making this, Ferret. You proved yourself to me six years ago when you're the only one who found me in that deserted classroom. I fully expected you to leave me, but you didn't, and you brought me to St. Mungo's." She inhaled deeply. "I thought after the second war ended that I was all alone. Being alone wasn't a nice feeling at all, you know." She placed a quick kiss on his head as his eyes started to close again. "You've changed, Draco Malfoy."

"Stop getting so sappy now, Beaver. I want to go to sleep," he grumbled, making her giggle.

"You were the one who was getting sappy, Ferret," she told him. Draco shifted his head against her shoulder so now, his face was pressed against the crook of her neck. Hermione summoned Draco's comforter from his bedroom (color red) and wrapped it around their shoulders.

"You owe me an ice cream," he murmured, his hot breath blowing against her neck. Hermione shivered slightly and she was sure it wasn't because of the cold breeze.

"Just shut up and go to sleep," she said. "I'm getting a little tired myself, too."

"Goodnight, Granger," he murmured again, kissing her neck goodnight. Hermione shivered again, hands curling immediately into fists. "Sleep tight."

The brunette concentrated hard to control her breathing. She closed her eyes and leaned her head on top of his. She willed all the butterflies in her stomach to stop fluttering too much.

"Hey," he said, nudging his nose against her neck. "It's your turn to say your line."

Hermione flinched slightly. "Oh, yeah, right."

"I'll do it again," he said. "Sleep tight."

She grinned slightly. "Don't let the bed bugs bite." She heard his low chuckle and her grin widened. Hermione gave him a kiss on his forehead

* * *

**REVIEW PLEASE! **


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: How many times do I have to tell you that I am not JK Rowling and I do not own the Harry Potter series? Hello, if I own them then I shouldn't be writing fan fictions. :D**

**A/N: Okay, so I'm back. I'm so sorry for the long wait. I just had our tests. Thank God they're done. Anyway, just read this and I hope you enjoy. Review after reading!**

**

* * *

****Chapter Three: Hogwarts: A History; Second Edition  
**

_9. I want my book to be published._

"Good morning, sunshine!" Draco exclaimed, announcing his arrival as he apparated straight into Hermione's living room. He had presumed that she would be there, watching another movie while eating popcorn. He made a mental note long before that he would forbid Hermione to eat popcorn because it was bad for her health and she was sick. But, who could blame her? He liked eating popcorn, too.

Draco frowned when the brunette was nowhere to be seen. He walked briskly to her kitchen, expecting to be welcomed by a mouth-watering aroma. Alas, there wasn't any. Hermione was still nowhere to be seen. So, he was left with one last option – go to her bedroom.

The blond trudged up her stairs and walked straight to her bedroom. He wondered if she was still asleep. Not that it bothered him, though. Actually, he wanted to see her asleep. Draco had seen her sleeping before. There were times where she would fall asleep while they were watching movies. There were times where she would fall asleep in his house and he had no choice but to bring her to his bedroom (even though there were guestrooms in his house). In the times when she was dead to the world, he could show his true emotions. He could have stared at her all day. Goodness, masking his true feelings from her was harder than he had though even if he was trained to mask all emotions other than hate and disgust.

He then opened her bedroom door (thankfully, it was unlocked). What greeted him, though, was a crumpled paper bumping his forehead. "Ow," he said, rubbing the spot. He glared at the crumpled paper on the floor.

"Oh, hey Draco."

"What, no 'I'm sorry'?" he asked, frowning.

"Yeah, right. I'm sorry," she said distractedly.

Draco's frown deepened as he looked around her bedroom. It was a total disaster. Hundreds of crumpled pieces of paper were scattered around the brunette who was sitting at the very middle of her room. She bewitched her desk to be shorter than normal so that she could still write on it while sitting on her carpeted floor, Indian Style. It made him amused, though, upon seeing her ferret stuffed toy sitting on her lap. Hermione's chin would constantly fall on top of it while she furiously scribbled things on a piece of paper only before crumpling the paper again and throwing it away from her. Draco ducked, wanting to avoid the bloody thing.

"Granger, you should be ashamed of yourself," the blond said, wagging a finger towards her mockingly. "We're currently experiencing a natural phenomenon called 'Global Warming' but here you are, wasting so much paper. Shame on you, Beaver. You should at least have sympathy to our Mother Earth."

"Oh, shut up," she growled, throwing another sheet of crumpled paper towards him. Unfortunately, it caught Draco off guard and he was hit squarely in his chest.

"Hey!" he exclaimed. The brunette rolled her eyes and stood up. Draco raised an eyebrow upon seeing that she was still wearing her pajamas. Her hair was tied into a loose bun and a frustrated look adorned her face.

Hermione stretched luxuriously before making a mad dash towards her bed. She gave a half-jump before plopping down. She had been clutching her stuffed toy the whole time.

"What just happened?" he asked, amusement evident in his voice. He walked towards her bed, sometimes stepping on some crumpled paper. "Hermione, what are you doing? And what are these crumpled pieces of paper doing on your floor?"

The brunette moaned when she cricked her neck. Draco blushed briefly. He didn't really need to hear those kinds of noises coming from her. "I'd been up the whole night finishing my book," she informed him. The blond bent down and peered at her. As proof, dark bags were seen below her eyes.

Draco had known that Hermione had been writing a book two years ago. And guess what it was titled – _Hogwarts: A History; Second Edition_. He was first amused when he heard of it. Hermione explained to him that a lot of things had changed in Hogwarts already and she decided that the she had to make another edition of her beloved _Hogwarts: A History_.

"My _damnable_ laptop broke down yesterday when I was in the middle of finishing the epilogue for my book," she said, scowling as she stood up again. She approached her music box and opened it. Draco discovered a few years ago that every time she opened it, it meant she was upset about something. Her music box calmed her down, apparently. "Good thing I had printed all of the other chapters." She sighed and shook her head. "I was almost bloody done with my book! Stupid laptop! Now, I couldn't remember what I typed up, ugh!"

"All right, calm down, calm down," the blond said, failing to suppress his laughter. How could he when she looked so funny and so… so adorable right now? Hermione huffed, annoyed, and Draco grasped her shoulders. "I'm going to help you, Granger, okay?"

It was amazing how those words changed Hermione's mood. It started in her eyes. They lit up, their caramel color looking lighter than normal. It then traveled down to her cheeks. Blood rushed to both of them, causing each to become tainted with pink. And then lastly were her lips. They stretched widely into a toothy grin. All in all, it made him mesmerized.

"Oh, thank you!" she exclaimed. "I was hoping you'll say that." Hermione released a sigh of relief. "Oh, what will I do without you, Draco Malfoy?"

He grinned, eyes sparkling, too. "Well, I - ."

Suddenly, Hermione released a few coughs and instantly, his grin faltered. Draco grew panicky, eyes widening in alarm. He immediately rubbed Hermione's back to cease her coughing fit.

This was the moment he had been dreading.

He had read on a Muggle website that the number one symptom of lung cancer was persistent coughs. And here Hermione was, clutching her stomach as she continued to cough and cough and cough and cough and cough…

These past few days; he had forgotten that Hermione, his best friend Hermione, had lung cancer. He had _purposely_ forgotten it. The brunette was quite happy, mostly because of him and his actions, he was proud to say. She looked so alive… so full of spirit, so Draco had to forget that she had lung cancer for the sake of being happy with her. But now, the thought came creeping back. _'She's going to die. She's going to die. She's going to die,' _he repeated inside his head like a mantra.

Hermione placed a hand against his cheek and chuckled in between her coughs. Draco gaped at her. How could she laugh like that! Her coughing fit was starting to cease. The brunette rubbed her thumb against his cheek and chuckled again. "Silly Ferret, I just choked on my own saliva," she told him, her chuckles turning to laughter. "I'm sorry, that must sound so stupid but it's true."

The blond growled dangerously low. "That was not funny at all, Granger."

The brunette calmed down and a small apologetic smile graced her face. "I made you worried, didn't I?" she asked him, her hand trailing down his face. She wrapped her arms around his neck, linking her hands, and pulled him close to her. "I'm sorry. I truly am."

"No need to apologize," he sighed tiredly, rubbing his nose against her hair. "Not your fault."

Hermione scoffed. "Admit it," she told him, "I scared the_ shit_ out of you."

Draco grinned. "Beaver, you just cursed. How surprising!" he exclaimed mockingly. He was starting to calm down now after Hermione told him that she coughed, not because of her lung cancer, but because of her own negligence.

The brunette sighed and patted the back of his neck. "Remember, Dr. Nobleman told us that the symptoms of my cancer will start to show in about two months."

"I know."

"How can you talk so casually about your… your _cancer_ like you are just talking about the weather," the blond asked, frowning.

Hermione shrugged, her head leaning against his shoulder. "I don't know. I told you I accepted it already."

"Quite fast, actually," he pointed out. "Normal people would be so distressed if they found out that they have a deadly disease in their system."

"Well, I'm not normal," she said, slightly muffled.

"I knew it!" he exclaimed, gently pulling Hermione away from him and thus, breaking their hug. "I can't believe Dr. Nobleman didn't detect your mental disease."

The brunette punched his arm playfully and scowled. "I see you're back to normal," she said.

Draco quirked an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

Hermione smirked at him, very Slytherin-ish. "You should have seen your face a while ago." The brunette then contorted her face into something close to fear. She widened her eyes and dropped her jaw. Apparently, she was mimicking Draco's look a while ago and in the blond's opinion, she was successful.

Instead of scowling, he burst into laughter. "Merlin, Granger, you should do that face all the time. It suits you," he joked.

The brunette rolled her eyes and pulled herself completely away from Draco. She approached her transfigured desk and snatched up the stack of paper. "Now, let's start working."

"Nuh uh, Hermione," he told her. "You" – he gestured at her obscured carpeted floor – "still need to clean up your room. I'll be downstairs. I'll make you food as it appears that you have been neglecting that small necessity." Hermione was about to open her mouth but Draco cut her off. "I know, I know. I won't cook since I know the food I make is inedible." The brunette chuckled at his honesty. "I'm going to make you sandwich and coffee. Is that okay?"

"Sounds yummy," she said.

"We'll work downstairs," he told her. "And do freshen up, Granger. You look like a mess, too."

Hermione scowled and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah," she said.

Draco grinned and walked out of her bedroom.

**

* * *

**"Oh, the wonderful smell of coffee," the brunette said, announcing her arrival.

Draco poked his head from Hermione's kitchen and grinned. The brunette was wearing pants that reached exactly at her knees and was wearing a plain, white shirt. "Just continue working, Hermione. I'll be there in a minute."

Hermione followed him and scattered her papers on top of her coffee table. She started working, pulling out a ball point pen from her pocket. At first, she had used a quill, but it was too messy. The ink would smudge until it was eligible, so she had opted for the Muggle invention.

After a few minutes, Draco still hadn't emerged from the kitchen.

Hermione's couch quickly filled with crumpled papers. Apparently, the speech of Draco about saving Mother Earth hadn't sunk in at all. The brunette laughed. He just wasted his breath and released too much carbon dioxide. _'Well, at least he's saving trees,'_ the brunette thought, a wide grin on her face. Her grin vanished, though, when she made another mistake and crumpled the current paper she was writing on. She threw it on the couch and scowled. She'd never have a book published before she died.

"Draco, are you almost done? I'm famished here!" she screamed, eyes trained on her new paper.

Draco then appeared from the kitchen, a small scowl adorning his handsome face. "I'm not your bloody house-elf, Beaver," he told her, placing her coffee and sandwich on top of her coffee table. "Oops, wait; I forgot something in the kitchen. Got to go." The blond then went back to the kitchen, a small smirk playing on his lips.

Hermione looked up from her work and grabbed her favorite mug. To her surprise, a small post-it note was stuck on it. Looking at the kitchen curiously, Hermione ripped off the post-it and read what it said:

_You know, Beaver, just stop and stare at your paper for a while. You're a bloody brilliant girl. Before you know it, you'll be scribbling sensible words on that paper. And remember, SAVE MOTHER EARTH!_

The brunette's jaw dropped in disbelief. She then looked at her sandwich and to her surprise, the peanut butter and jam spread were formed into words.

_Go, Granger, Go!_

Beside the last 'go' was a small smiling face. Unable to suppress it, she started to giggle. Draco Malfoy really surprises her sometimes. And to be truthful, he was being kind of… sweet. He was supporting her.

Hermione looked at her kitchen door and smiled. Draco suddenly poked his head threw, giving her a wide smirk. He was holding his favorite mug and sipping coffee.

"Thank you!" she screamed, slightly laughing.

"No prob, Hermione!" he called back and give her a wink. And then, his head disappeared from view again.

The brunette sighed and clicked her ball point pen open. _'Draco Malfoy, what would I do without you?'_ she asked him for the second time.

**

* * *

**_WHACK!_

Draco slapped his nose as a fly suddenly perched on it. To his utter frustration, it was still alive. It had been bugging him for a while now, taunting him by making buzzing noises in his ear. And now, it wouldn't just leave him alone.

Annoyed, the blond brandished his wand and stunned the stupid insect. He smirked triumphantly when it fell unconscious and landed on the floor.

The blond then sighed and looked at the working brunette, seated on her carpeted floor, Indian Style. He had been in her house for hours already. Draco took a peek from her window and to his surprise, it was already the afternoon. He released another sigh. So he had been in her house, doing nothing except wait for her to finish her bloody book, for a whole day.

To his glee, Hermione had followed his suggestion. She had stared at her paper for minutes, hours maybe, a thoughtful look adorning her beautiful face. The brunette kept on clicking her pen. She then bit her bottom lip, tilting her head slightly to the side.

And now, Hermione was writing furiously on her paper. She had continuously written for hours, eyes glued on the paper and pen scratching noisily against it. And surprisingly, she hadn't crumpled a single sheet.

Draco was so proud of her.

But as time slowly ticked by, he was growing more and more bored. He started to play with the engagement ring on his neck. She hadn't talked to him. She hadn't eaten lunch even with his constant reminders that it was not good for her health. But, she just ignored him and continued to write.

He scowled when the Stunning Spell wore of already and the fly was back annoying him. "For crying out loud, Granger, when are you going to be done with your bloody book?"

Hermione answered him with silence.

"Ah, so now you're ignoring me, eh?" he asked, upset. "Granger? Earth to Hermione? Hello!"

Again, she answered him with pure, utter silence.

Draco rolled his eyes and leaned his head against the couch. He closed his eyes and covered them with his right hand. He decided to take a short nap, knowing that he would be wasting his breath if he kept on talking to an unresponsive person.

"IT'S DONE!"

He jumped an inch or two as he looked at a giddy Hermione, bewildered. He hastily tucked the ring back to his collar, hidden from the brunette's sight.

"I'M DONE! I'M DONE! I'M DONE!" she repeated, jumping up and down like a silly, little girl who had just received her first doll. "I'M DO – OH! Draco, you're still here! I didn't notice!"

Draco gaped at her, eyes almost bulging out of their eye sockets. "Christ, woman. I'd been here all day, watching you as you scribbled bloody furiously on your paper. I almost resorted to talking to myself, Granger. Thank God I'm Draco Malfoy."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't be so melodramatic, Draco," she told him, hugging her new accomplished book against her chest. "And daren't you happy for me? I just finished writing my book!"

He rolled his eyes and stood up, giving her forehead a kiss. "Congratulations, Beaver. Now, can you please eat lunch? Now? Honestly, you're killing yourself faster than I can say 'Lung Cancer'."

The brunette just grinned at him and shook his head. "Sorry for ignoring you the whole day, Ferret," she said, patting his right arm. "You want me to treat you to ice cream?"

"Oh, you should!" he exclaimed. "I'd sacrificed my time… waited for you to finish. I..."

Hermione covered his mouth and looked at him in mock exasperation. "Draco, you bloody keep your mouth shut or I won't eat lunch anymore. Ever." She felt him purse his lips tight against her hand and she grinned. "That's my ferret."

Draco rolled his eyes and grabbed her arm. "So, where are we going?"

"Diagon Alley, I suppose," she said.

"Diagon Alley it is," he said. And with a soft pop, they disappeared from Hermione's apartment.

**

* * *

**Hermione yawned widely and sat down on her couch. She placed her head on the armrest and lifted her feet up onto the couch. "Too tired," she murmured, curling up into a ball.

Draco shook his head and knelt down on the floor. He poked the brunette's cheek, trying to keep her awake. "Granger, go upstairs to your bedroom and sleep there. I won't carry you all the way up those stairs again."

"Then don't," she mumbled, shifting slightly. "I'll just sleep here."

The blond rolled his eyes. "I shouldn't have taken you out," he grumbled, scooping the brunette up to his arms. She snuggled against his chest, a small smile playing on her lips. She wrapped her arm sleepily around his neck for safety.

"I thought you won't carry me up to my bedroom," she murmured softly, sleepiness evident in her voice. Hermione gave his cheek a quick kiss and then, her head ended on his shoulder, already dozing off.

He shifted her slightly in his arms, careful not to wake her up. "You're still heavy, Hermione," he murmured to the sleeping brunette. It was actually the contrary. The brunette was so light… too light, in his opinion. It was as if he was lifting air.

Draco then trudged upstairs, Hermione still safely secured in his arms. He opened her bedroom door with a wave of his wand. He then gently placed her on her bed. Hermione shifted slightly and opened her eyes. Upon seeing him, she gave him a sleepy smile.

The blond bent down and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, Granger. Sleep tight," he whispered, running a hand through her hair.

"Don't let the bed bugs" – she released a wide yawn – "bite." And with that, she fell back into sleep.

Chuckling to himself, Draco pulled her comforter up to her chest. Hermione snuggled comfortably under it, once again releasing a contented sigh. He bent down again and kissed her forehead before walking out of her bedroom and heading down the stairs.

The blond was about to apparate back to his house when he suddenly caught sight of Hermione's new book. It was complete, yes, and Hermione was so ecstatic. But, she wanted it to be published. Smirking, he grabbed it and clutched it tightly to himself.

He was so glad he was a Malfoy.

**

* * *

**_Tap. Tap. Tap._

Hermione shifted on her bed and released a groan. She grabbed her stuffed toy and placed it on top of her head, trying to muffle out the sound.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

"Stupid bloody noise… impatience is not a virtue at all… still so sleepy… stop bothering me," she murmured under her breath as she begrudgingly stood up and glared at the place where the noise was coming from – her window. She immediately recognized Draco's eagle owl, Vander, and scowled.

"Bloody Malfoy… still so early… I want to go back to sleep!"

The brunette stomped towards her window and let Vander enter her bedroom. It swooped around first, making hooting noises. It made Hermione more frustrated and glared at Draco's owl. "Vander, what do you want?!"

The owl made another hooting noise and swooped down the brunette, pecking her forehead.

"Bloody owl!" she shrieked, hands rubbing her throbbing forehead. Thankfully, Vander settled himself on top of her shoulder and nuzzled against her bushy hair. Hermione fumed. She could already imagine what Draco would say if he saw his beloved owl nuzzle against her hair.

"_Ha! See, even a real bird thinks that hair of yours looks like a nest, Beaver."_

Rolling her eyes, she untied the package that was attached to Vander's leg. It was quite large and heavy, in Hermione's opinion. Good thing Vander was a perfectly healthy bird… unlucky her, unfortunately. He then flew towards her desk were cookie crumbles could be seen and started to feast on them.

Hermione removed the brown wrapper around the package from Draco. Once it was open, a letter suddenly fell on the floor. She bent down and clutched it, a curious look on her face.

She opened Draco's letter for her. It said.

_Hermione,_

_Congratulations, you just accomplished your ninth goal! And it's all thanks to yours truly. Surprising, huh? I brought your completed book to a publishing company I know and demanded the owner to publish your bloody book right this very instant! I bribed him, of course. Aren't you glad you're best friends with the son of the most influential man in the whole Wizarding World?_

_You owe me an ice cream, Beaver. Coffee Crumble sounds yummy, don't you think?_

_Draco_

The brunette's jaw fell open. Her hands started to shake. She looked at the book clutched in her right hand. Swallowing, she looked at it closely. _Hogwarts: A History; Second Edition. 'That's the title of my book. That's the title of my book. That's the title of my book,'_ she repeated inside her mind, trying to calm down. A smile was starting to stretch a cross her face.

Her eyes then traveled at the very bottom of the book. _Written by: Hermione Granger. 'That's my name. That's my name. That's my name,'_ she said, trying to let everything sink in at once. "OH MY GOD!" she shrieked, hugging her completed book, her _published_, completed book. Vander, surprised, gave a loud screech and made a mad dash towards the outside of Hermione's window.

"My book is published. Oh God, my book is published," Hermione said, her smile not leaving her face.

She had to get to Draco. She had to.

Hermione then apparated, thinking about treating a certain blond young adult to ice cream. And Coffee Crumble sure sounded yummy.

**

* * *

****A/N: Ah, so end of chapter. Review, 'mkay? **

**By the way, I have a feeling that Draco and Hermione are starting to be quite OOC… anyway, I think their OOCness just suits them here in this story. I mean, they're best friends after all. And, this is not the canon world so I can't help but make their characters different from their canon-behavior. At least I still make them bicker, though, strangely playful. **

**Anyway, review again! :D**


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: Spin and Twirl**

_  
8. I want to go ice skating._

"Ferret, can you be a good gentleman and open my music box for me?" Hermione asked, head buried in a book – _Hogwarts: A History; Second Edition_ to be exact.

A few weeks after the release of her book, _Hogwarts: A History; Second Edition by Hermione Granger_ was an instant best-seller. They were able to sell a hundred million copies all over the Wizarding World. Of course, being the author, the brunette was ecstatic.

Now, the ex-Gryffindor and ex-Slytherin were in Hermione's bedroom. The brunette was sitting on top of her bed, head buried in her book. Draco, on the other hand, was lying on the brunette's bed. He was hugging her ferret stuffed toy tightly against his chest. Apparently, he was taking a nap.

"Draco," the brunette said, shaking him awake with her eyes still glued on her book. "Come on. Please do it for me."

The blond shifted on her bed and glared up the brunette. "Granger, I'm taking a nap here!" he growled angrily.

"Well, you're awake now," she pointed out, eyes landing on his stretched out form. "So, please open my music box."

"Why don't you do it yourself?" he snapped, burying his head under the stuffed toy.

Hermione kicked him in the ribs. The blond, shooting daggers, begrudgingly moved into a sitting position while nursing his painful ribs. "I'm going to kick you out of my room if you don't do what I want you to do!" she threatened him, wagging her finger.

Draco rolled his eyes and buried his head in between his hands. "Am I a bloody murderer in my past life, Merlin?! Because, you sure are punishing me _mercilessly_ right now!" he exclaimed as he threw his arms up in the air.

Unable to contain it, the brunette softly giggled. "Oh come on, you're being so dramatic," she told him. "Come on, just open my damn music box and everything will be all right."

"You know, Beaver," the blond said, his bare feet now touching the ground. "If you cursed every day, I might have followed all of your orders. I can't believe that you weren't placed in Slytherin. You're more suited to my House than bloody Gryffindors who don't even know the difference between bravery and stupidity."

Hermione scowled. "I'd kill myself if I was placed in Slytherin," she told him.

"Well then, why are you mingling with one?" the blond asked, now fully standing. He was gesturing to himself, a small smirk playing on his lips.

The brunette clutched her ferret stuffed toy and threw it to the blond's face. "Quit it, will you?" she asked. "We're twenty-five-years-old, Draco, for goodness' sake! We should be scoffing at the ridiculousness of house rivalry now!"

Draco rolled his eyes and walked towards her desk. Her music box was currently on top of it. "Who's being dramatic now?" he asked.

Hermione only scowled at him. When Draco opened her music box, Hermione smiled. That song playing, her favorite song, would really soothe her no matter how big her problem was.

"Hermione, I have a question," the blond said as he sat down on the brunette's bed again. He picked up the ferret on the floor and placed it back on her bed.

"Yeah?"

"Why does your music box have an ice skater?" he asked. Hermione looked up from her book, quirking one eyebrow up. "I mean, you know that Mother has one. And her music box has a ballerina. I'd seen a lot of music boxes before and _all_ of them have a ballerina."

She closed her book (after marking the page where she had left) and released a huge sigh. "Well, my music box actually came from my Mother."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Wow, that's new. I never knew that," he told her, scooting closer to the brunette.

Hermione tilted her head slightly to the left, face contorting into deep thought. "I remembered the times when my Mother would tell me she dreamt of being an ice skater," she said, a faraway look on her face. "Mother was an excellent ice skater. You should have seen her swirling and twirling on the ice skating rink. She was so… so wonderful." She then looked at him, a small sad smile on her face. "When I was ten-years-old, a few weeks before I had my first train ride on Hogwarts Express, my parents brought me to a Muggle Amusement Park, Happy Land and - ."

"Sorry to interrupt you, Hermione, but _Happy Land_? Are you serious?" he asked, snorting. "The owner must have a _wide_ imagination. Imagine naming his own amusement park as _Happy Land_. Utterly hilarious."

Hermione rolled her eyes; her lips were twitching upwards. "As I was saying, a few weeks before I started studying at Hogwarts, my parents brought me to Happy Land Amusement Park." She glared at Draco, silently challenging him to interrupt her again. "There was an ice skating rink there, you know. And we would twirl around, happy that all of us were together. We continued to go to this amusement park every time I went home for Christmas break."

The brunette released a huge sigh and looked at her music box forlornly. "You should have seen Father's face while he was watching my mother ice skate around the rink. He had this look… this look that I wouldn't forget at all. Sometimes, it made me almost cry when I watch Father look at Mother with so much love in his eyes. They'd been married for almost twenty years but still, their love hadn't wavered at all."

Draco scooted closer and held her hand. He gave it a slight squeeze, making her smile. "You miss them, don't you?" he asked softly.

The brunette looked at him, her eyes strangely glazed. "Of course I do, Draco. They're my parents after all," she whispered back. A lone tear slid down her right eye and the blond gently brushed it away from her cheeks. She smiled at him greatly, squeezing his hand back.

"You want me to take you to Happy Land Amusement Park?" he asked her. Her eyes lit up and a large grin stretched across her lips. "It might cheer you up. And besides, the eighth thing you want to do before you die is go ice skating, right?"

"Yeah," she said. "That would be nice. So, when are we going there?"

Draco could see the excitement bubbling within her. He gave her a small smirk and said, "Now, I'm going to keep that a secret, Granger." Hermione pouted, making him laugh softly. "We have another important matter to discuss."

"Eh?" she asked.

The blond's face turned serious. "I told my parents about your… current condition yesterday," he told her.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "You didn't tell them on the day we found out?" she asked him, mildly surprised.

Draco shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, I figured that you would rather have this secret between you and me for a few days," he told her uncomfortably.

She gave him a smile. "Thanks, I needed that," she told him.

He then released a breathe he didn't realize he was holding and shook his head. "We have to go to the Manor tomorrow, Hermione," he said. "Mother was practically screaming at me for not telling her about your cancer as soon as possible. She was totally devastated, you know. I had never seen Mother cry so much in her life before. Father was actually surprised with her actions."

"I will miss Narcissa," the brunette told him truthfully with a sigh. "She reminds me of my Mother. Not physically, though."

"So, are you coming?" he asked her, pulling his hand away from her grip. The blond had just noticed that they'd been holding hands for quite a while now.

"Will your Father be there?" she asked, a hint of a scowl evident on her face.

He sighed. "Granger…"

"I won't go if _he's_ there," she spat. "I bet he was _utterly ecstatic_ when he learned about my disease, eh?"

Draco frowned, eyebrows knitted together. "It was quite the contrary, Beaver," he told him. "Father walked out of the room after I told them about your sickness." Hermione gaped at him. "I know, I know, Father hates you to the bones. But I have this feeling that he cares for you, a little only, maybe. You should have seen his face when I told him you have cancer."

The brunette managed a small smile. "I'm glad that when I die, someone will remember me," she whispered. "When my parents left me, I believed that no one would notice if I just stopped existing."

"Well, I think all of us want to be remembered, at least by one person, once our life is taken away from us," he told her. Hermione nodded in agreement. "So, are you going? I need to tell Mother so she can fix lunch."

Hermione smiled. "Sure. I haven't seen Narcissa in ages."

"Great."

**

* * *

**"So, why are we walking towards your Manor?" the brunette asked him, a quizzical look on her face. They just apparated somewhere near Wiltshire (where the Malfoy Manor currently was) and now, they were walking. "I mean, we can apparate. Narcissa persuaded your Father to lift up the wards so that no one, except your parents, you and me, can apparate to your house. And then, there's your car. Why didn't we ride it?"

"Missed it already, eh?" he asked, eyes glinting in amusement.

Hermione just smiled at him.

It was a normal January day. The weather was still quite cold so her favorite cloak (given to her by her deceased parents) was shielding her from the biting wind blowing against her body.

"Cold?" the blond asked. He, too, was wearing a cloak though it was easy to say that it was very expensive. He was a Malfoy after all.

"Kind of," she told him, hugging her body for comfort. To her surprise, Draco clutched her right hand and started to rub it.

"Does that make you feel better?" he asked.

The brunette looked at him and smiled. His expression was unreadable, in her opinion, but she just ignored it. "Thanks," she said, squeezing his hand.

They continued to walk, talking occasionally about this and that. But their hands, Hermione's right and Draco's left, were still tightly clasped together. One might presume that they were lovers, just being happy in each other's presence. But a good observer would see that they were close friends…with the love being hidden deep, deep down.

Hermione didn't notice when Draco suddenly shifted his hand and interlaced his fingers with hers. She didn't even notice when his guard broke off and his eyes shone, watching her adoringly.

She was too busy talking.

**

* * *

**"So, this is it?" Hermione asked, shifting slightly in front of the main door of the Malfoy Manor. She was fiddling with a loose strand from her cloak as she stared at Draco nervously.

"Come on, Granger, where's all that Gryffindor bravery?" he asked her, amused. He was somehow feeling a sudden sort of déjà vu, watching her as she nervously wringed her wrist while staring at the door. It made him think of the time when Hermione was hesitating in going inside Dr. Nobleman's office for her medical check-up.

"I'm afraid at what Narcissa will do to me," she said, followed by a defeated sigh.

"Silly Granger," he said, messing up with her brown tresses. "Mother tends to get a bit melodramatic, you know."

She grinned. "Yeah," she said. "_Mothers_ always tend to get a bit melodramatic."

"Hell yeah," he said, giving her a charming smile.

"So, will your Father be inside?" she asked. Again, a scowl appeared on her face automatically.

"Hermione, Hermione, Hermione," he said, shaking his head. "Father is in a meeting with the board of directors of St. Mungo's. He told my Mother that he would come home late today. So, don't worry about my Father seeing you." He clutched the doorknocker of the front door and started to knock.

Almost instantly, the door flew open. Instead of sending some random house-elves, beautiful Narcissa Malfoy came into sight. Before Hermione knew it, she was enveloped in the older woman's arms. Shocked, Hermione looked at Draco. The blond sighed and mouthed, 'I told you so'.

"Oh, Hermione darling," the older woman wailed. "How are you? Are you in pain? Do you feel sick?" Narcissa pulled away from the brunette. Hermione was shocked to see tears rolling down her cheeks. "Draco, why didn't you apparate here directly or used your brand new car! It's freezing outside! What if something happened to Hermione? Come, come. Come inside." Narcissa beckoned Hermione inside the house with the blond trailing behind them, a scowl on his face.

"I made lunch extra healthy," she said, wiping her tears with a lacy handkerchief.

"Narcissa, really," Hermione said, patting the older woman's arm. "I'm quite fine. Nothing has happened to me yet. The doctor said I'll feel the symptoms two months from now. So, look at me. I'm still quite fine. At the moment, I am probably healthier than 70% of the population!"

Narcissa's face contorted into pure anger and for a minute, Hermione thought she looked a lot like a real Malfoy. Draco, alarmed, clutched his mother's shoulders and tried to pull her away from the brunette. "Let me go, Draco," she ordered. "I'm your mother and I'm ordering you. Let me go." Sighing, Draco stepped back and cast Hermione a worried glance. She gave him a small smile of reassurance.

"Narcissa, please calm down," Hermione said, enveloping the older woman into another hug. "I'll be fine. Please calm down."

"I can't calm down. I can't," she sobbed, hugging the brunette as tight as she could manage. "Oh Hermione, I don't want you to die. _You_ can't die. Look at you, so young and beautiful. Life's been unfair to you before… why is life unfair to you again? It took away everything that you cared so much for."

"Calm down, Narcissa. Calm down," the brunette murmured, rubbing her back comfortingly. To her horror, tears started to well up in her eyes, too.

"You've been my daughter for six years, Hermione," Mrs. Malfoy continued. "I love you so much. You're my daughter. You can't just die."

Tears streamed down the brunette's eyes. Draco patted the brunette's arm, trying to comfort her, too.

"You have to take your medication," Narcissa said, pulling the brunette away from the hug. "Draco told me you refused to take your medication. Hermione, _please_. Take it. Take the medication."

"I… I can't," she said.

"Do you have a financial problem?" she asked. "Don't worry, dearie, I can take care of it. If Lucius refuses, I'll sign our divorce papers. Do you understand me, honey? Please take the medications. Please."

Hermione smiled gratefully at Mrs. Malfoy. Just looking at her reminded her so much of her mother that it hurt. "I can't, Narcissa. I just… I can't. Draco knows why already. And he understands. Please try to understand my decision, too. I love you, too, Narcissa. You've tried to be a good mother to me and you succeeded, I promise. And for that, I'm thankful."

Narcissa's eyes welled up again but unsurprisingly, she didn't protest. "All right, dear, if that's what you want," she whispered hoarsely, trying to stem the tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

The brunette smiled and gave Mrs. Malfoy a kiss on the forehead. "I love you, Narcissa. I love you so much. Mother would be grateful to you for looking out for me."

"Well, that's settled then," Draco said. For a few minutes, the two women had forgotten he was there. They looked at him, their eyes red and puffy. He smiled at them sheepishly. "What? I'm sorry to have cut this short, you know. It's just making me feel awkward."

Hermione chuckled and ushered the blond towards her to give him a hug. Narcissa smiled knowingly at her son who was red from head to toe. Of course she knew about his love and the engagement ring. She just didn't understand why he was so cowardly. She wanted him to propose already! But then again, he was the son of Lucius Malfoy. The Malfoy father had proposed to her after they'd been going out for five years.

"Narcissa, did you see my record book? We can't start the meeting without it," Lucius Malfoy said, announcing his arrival. "Damn it! Where is that -?" He abruptly stopped once his eyes landed on the only non-Malfoy in the room. "Hermione Granger, what a pleasant surprise."

The brunette automatically scowled as she looked at Lucius Malfoy.

"Mr. Malfoy," she curtly said… bordering impolite.

"Lucius, be good. I'm warning you!" Narcissa cried. Mr. Malfoy's eyes landed on his wife and was surprised to see that, she too, had the tell tale red puffy eyes.

The eldest Malfoy in the room looked at Hermione again. The brunette looked back at him with animosity. Lucius chuckled. The Muggle-born really hated him. "_Accio record book_," he announced, waving his wand. Almost immediately, a blue book landed on Lucius' hands. "Well, it's nice to see you here, Miss Granger. I have to go now."

The other three were surprised with Lucius' lack of hostility. He then approached his wife and kissed her cheek, telling her to wipe her tears away if she didn't want to become ugly in the future. He gave Draco a pat on the shoulder, demanding him to sleep in the Manor tonight. And lastly, he patted Hermione's hair, surprising her. "You don't deserve to die," he told her, giving her the first, most genuine smile she had ever seen. "People who love you" – he looked at his son pointedly – "will suffer, you hear me Granger? So, I order you to live longer."

Hermione snorted, though inside, she was starting to appreciate Lucius Malfoy.

"Good day." And with that, Lucius apparated.

"That was surprising," Narcissa said, looking dumbfounded. "Now, let's eat lunch."

**

* * *

**Hermione yawned, her head on Draco's lap as they lounged in her living room. The blond was sitting on the couch, absentmindedly stroking the brunette's beautiful brown tresses.

"Go home, Draco," she told him groggily, eyes dropping closed. "I want to go to sleep."

Draco moved his knee, trying to keep the brunette awake. "Don't sleep yet, Granger. I have a surprise for you," he told her, right hand still buried under her brown tresses.

"Eh?" she asked sleepily, slowly sitting up. "And, what is it?"

"You'll know soon," he asked, a small smirk gracing his handsome face.

"This better be good, Malfoy," she murmured to him and summoned her cloak. The blond just looked at her smugly. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go."

**

* * *

**"You are bloody kidding me," Hermione said, breathless as she stared at Happy Land Amusement Park. Her mouth was agape and her eyes were wide. "Happy Land…" Her eyes landed on the still smug blond and gave him a huge smile. "But… but… it's closed."

"Are you sure?" he asked, walking inside the amusement park. Hermione was right. Judging by the lack of light and the lack of people, the amusement park had been closed for at least an hour. Not surprising, considering it was almost midnight.

The brunette trailed behind him while feelings overwhelmed her. Everything was still in place. Some rides, she noticed, were new to her but almost all were still the same. She saw the roller coaster ride her mother was so terrified of. She saw the haunted house which made her cry when she was ten-years-old. She saw the Ferris wheel which was her parents' favorite ride (Hermione was never fond of it. She was afraid of heights). And then, there was the carousel. It was her most favorite ride in the whole Amusement Park. She enjoyed riding the fake horse while her parents watched her from the crowd, waving at her when she was within their sight.

Hermione sighed and closed her eyes briefly. For a short moment, she imagined that her parents were there with her, holding both of her hands as they promised to make her day the best day she had ever had.

"Draco, where are we going?" she asked, curious after opening her eyes. None of the rides were moving anymore.

"Oh, just be patient, Beaver," he said, clutching her wrist. He led her to Merlin-only-knows-where.

She frowned. She wasn't really fond of secrets and surprises. But then, she saw the oh so familiar hotdog stand. Her family usually ate at that hotdog stand because they had the most delicious hotdog she had ever tasted. And she knew where this stand would lead them. Tears started to brim in her eyes as finally, her eyes landed on the ice skating rink her mother used to love so much.

The ice skating rink was different from the other rides or stands in Happy Land Amusement Park. The lights were on, illuminating the rink.

Memories flooded back to the brunette as she looked at Draco who was carefully watching her with a small smile on his face.

"I had to bribe a worker to keep this rink open for just the two of us," he told her. "I don't want you to go ice skating with a lot of people here in this rink, Hermione." He then pulled out his wand from his pocket and conjured a pair of white ice skates. "Here, wear these."

Grateful, Hermione clutched the ice skates away from the blond and removed her ordinary shoes. She was thankful she was wearing knee-length pants.

And then, she glided onto the ice.

Hermione had never felt so free before as she completed a small spin. She was glad she could still ice skate after six years. She looked at Draco, a huge smile plastered on her face. "Come on, Ferret! It's fun!"

"I don't know how to ice skate, Beaver," he truthfully said, cheeks reddening. For once, he admitted that he wasn't good at something.

The brunette laughed. "Oh come on," she said, twirling again. Her hair flew out behind her, splaying in the wind. "I'll teach you."

Sighing, Draco conjured another pair of ice skates in his favorite color (black). He didn't have any other choice. He changed footwear and attempted to glide smoothly onto the ice but Draco just slipped, feet working hard to keep him upright. Eventually, his feet couldn't keep up with his teetering body, resulting to a loud thud as his butt made contact with the cold ice.

Hermione laughed, cheeks flushed, as she smoothly glided towards the blond. She gripped both of his hands and pulled him up. "My God, Draco, you're so heavy," she told him. Draco scowled as he tried to regain his balance but to no avail. He would slip and start to fall, but Hermione kept an arm firmly wrapped around his waist. "Draco Malfoy is not good at ice skating. This must be the best day of my life," the brunette teased him.

Draco's scowl grew as he tried to steady himself by placing a hand on the brunette's shoulder. "I don't really fancy ice skating, Granger. This is so boring!" he whined. "I'd rather ride my broomstick and play Quidditch."

"I really don't understand why boys like Quidditch so much," the brunette said, unwrapping her arm from the blond's waist. She gripped both his hands and slowly, she glided backwards, leading him. Draco slipped again, though, thankfully, he didn't fall. "I mean, aren't you afraid you'll fall? Quidditch is the stupidest, most dangerous sport I had ever seen in my whole life."

"Many would disagree with you, Hermione," the blond said. "Why don't you try riding on a broomstick one day, huh? I promise you'll feel the excitement while zooming around the night sky. I bet you'll even feel the adrenaline rush."

"Excitement my ice skates," she mumbled, frowning. "I like my feet better on the ground, Draco, thank you very much."

He just chuckled at her comment.

They continued to skate around. Draco would occasionally fall, sometimes bringing a laughing Hermione down with him.

"Tell me more about Mrs. Granger, Hermione," the blond said after falling for the umpteenth time.

Hermione looked at him, surprised. But then, she gave him a small smile and sighed. "She was the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my whole life," she told him.

"Well, I guess our mothers are the most beautiful woman in our life's, Granger," Draco told her, making Hermione softly chuckle.

"Quite right," she said. "My mother had a very OCD personality. She liked everything clean and neat. If she saw a speck of dust in our house, she would make a fuss and would scrub and scrub until our house was squeaky clean. Guess I inherited that from her, huh?"

Draco smirked.

"She was a nice woman," she said, making a small spin. Draco stopped gliding now. "She would give food to the kids who were begging for money. My mother once lectured me about giving food instead of money if someone was begging. Told me they might just use it in a bad way. Anyway, she also made the best spaghetti I have ever tasted." She span again, oblivious to the fact that Draco was now sitting on the rink, knees drawn to his chest as he watched her… mesmerized. "She loved clothes… I definitely didn't inherit that from her. Every piece of clothing she wore looked smashing on her. And then…"

The blond completely zoned out. He didn't hear what Hermione was saying as he continued to watch her. She would spin and twirl at times, her hair billowing against her face. She would then absentmindedly swat her hair away from her face. But again, it would defy her wishes and billow against her face again.

A small smile grew on his face when the brunette tripped slightly. But then, his smile faded once he saw the tears streaming down the brunette's face. "Hermione," he called out, alarmed.

The brunette stopped ice skating and looked at him. "Yeah?" she asked. A tear slipped down from her eyes again. Surprised, Hermione placed a finger on her cheek. It was as if she hadn't noticed that she had been crying.

"Come here," he said, trying to stand up. Unfortunately, though, he fell flat on the floor again.

Hermione immediately glided towards the scowling blond. "Are you all right, Draco?" she asked, eyes wide and shining.

"Are you all right?" he asked softly, eyes trained on her puffy eyes. "Why are you crying?" He lifted his right hand and brushed her tears away from her cheeks.

"I don't know," she said truthfully, sniffling.

"Are you tired?" Draco asked. "Do you want to go home?"

She sighed. "I don't know," she whispered. "I'm… I'm tired, Draco. But I don't want to leave this place. It's… it's the only thing that reminds me of my parents."

Draco leaned closer and kissed her forehead. "Come on, I'll take you home." The blond waved his wand and immediately, their ice skates were replaced by their ordinary shoes. Another wave of his wand and then, the lights disappeared. He then clutched the brunette's arm and apparated both of them to her apartment.

**

* * *

**Hermione shifted on her bed for the umpteenth time. There was a huge thunderstorm outside and it was making her quite uneasy. She had never been fond of storms. It was frightening her. There was something eerie about thunder and lightning.

She flinched when thunder roared in the night sky. She hugged her ferret closer to herself, trying to summon sleep but unfortunately, she didn't have any luck at all.

Rain was pattering hard against her window. She released a soft whimper as her room illuminated briefly because of the lightning.

"That's it," she said shakily, standing up from her bed. She was again wearing a white tank top and shorts. Her hair was messily scattered around her face as she bent down and grabbed her stuffed toy.

After taking a quick breath to calm herself, Hermione apparated to Draco's old room in the Manor, knowing that he would be spending the night there.

Upon seeing him lying on his bed, Hermione instantly felt relieved. Draco knew about her fear of storm, even though she pointedly denied it every time she would apparate to his house whimpering and sometimes crying because the storm was making her scared. Sometimes, Draco would predict the storm and would volunteer to sleep at her house, making up a silly excuse that she had learnt to just accept. He knew that Hermione was quite embarrassed about her fear.

Thunder roared again and the brunette squeaked. She approached the sleeping Draco and woke him up. "Draco, come on. Please wake up," she pressed urgently.

The blond stirred and opened his eyes. He looked around until his eyes focused on the panic-stricken brunette. "Granger, what the hell are you doing here in the middle of the night?" he asked, voice thick with sleep.

"Can I sleep here, please?" she asked. Hermione pointedly noticed that Draco's only clothing was his favorite boxers (designed with ferrets!). She didn't mind, though. She was used in seeing boys shirtless.

"Go home," he grunted, rolling over. He hugged his beaver stuffed toy closer to himself and covered his face with his comforter. He heard Hermione's squeak when lightning lit the room. He sighed knowingly and removed the comforter from his head. "Go back home, Hermione."

"I…I can't," she said shakily. "There's a… err… there's a boogey monster under my bed! And I'm scared!"

Despite his sleepiness, Draco chuckled. "Goodness, Granger, you're twenty-five-years old and you still believe in boogey monsters under your bed?" He watched as she whimpered from the sudden roar of thunder. He scooted to his left, giving Hermione some space. "Come here."

Hermione smiled gratefully and plopped down beside him. "Thanks, Malfoy," she murmured. She scooted closer to him and wrapped an arm around his body. Hermione leaned her head against his bare back, a contented smile on her face.

"Sleep tight, Granger," he said, breathless.

"Don't let the bed bugs bite," she said. Soon, she was fast asleep, judging by her deep breathing.

Draco waited for a few more minutes before shifting on his bed to face the already slumbering brunette. It was moments like these that Draco's eyes would become unguarded. He placed a hand beside her cheek and gently rubbed his thumb against it. Hermione released a sigh but didn't wake up, making the blond bolder. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her towards him as close as possible. Her head ended buried in the crook between his shoulder and head, allowing him to feel her soft, warm breath blowing against his neck.

He then ran a hand through her hair, eyes drooping close. "Goodnight, love," he murmured, forehead leaning against her head. Soon, he was fast asleep.

**

* * *

**"Draco, honey, breakfast is served!" Narcissa announced, opening her son's bedroom door. "Goodness Draco! You slept in again. Your Father's - ." She made an abrupt halt once her eyes landed on the two forms on top of Draco's bed. "Oh," she said, a hand now covering her mouth. "OH!"

Her eyes widened upon seeing Hermione on her son's bed. His arms were wrapped around her, as if he was hugging a teddy bear.

Hermione snapped awake, eyes immediately landing on the she-Malfoy. "Oh, Narcissa!" she said brightly, sitting up. "Good morning!" She shook the blond who eventually, though, begrudgingly woke up. "Morning Mother," he said, releasing a huge yawn.

"Why is -? Draco, why - ?" she asked, eyes still wide and disbelieving.

Draco's eyes widened, too. His cheeks grew hot. Hermione looked at him suspiciously, confused with his sudden reaction. "It's not what you're thinking, Mother!" he exclaimed, totally embarrassed.

"What are you – OH!" Hermione exclaimed, cheeks reddening, too. "It's not what you're thinking, Narcissa. See! I'm fully dressed!"

Mrs. Malfoy chuckled and shook her head. She approached Hermione and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Silly Hermione, of course I know that!" she exclaimed, eyes landing on her son. "I was just trying to tease" – she glared at Draco – "you." The blond scowled and rolled his eyes.

Hermione chuckled, too. "Well, got to go," she said. Her eyes landed on the blond and she gave him a smile. "Sorry for bothering you last Draco. I was just afraid of the boogey monster under my bed." She was trying her best to stifle her smile but failed, nonetheless.

Draco smirked widely. "Don't worry, Granger. I had a _good time_ last night… OW!"

The brunette slapped his arm painfully, face furiously red. "Shut up," she growled. Draco was not unnerved, though.

"Do you want to eat breakfast here, dear?" Narcissa asked, looking at the two with amusement in her eyes.

"Thank you for the offer, Narcissa, but I'd rather not," Hermione said, standing up from the bed. She stretched luxuriously and released a wide yawn.

"I'm going home now."

"Oh, darling, even in the morning you still look so lovely," Narcissa complimented, shooting Draco a wide, knowing smile.

Hermione gave a smile for her thanks before apparating away. Once she was gone, the she-Malfoy looked at her son and shook her head. "You're hopeless, honey. Utterly hopeless."

"What?" he asked, glaring at his mother.

Narcissa just shook her head and gave him a kiss on the head. "Just freshen up, Draco. Breakfast is ready."

"Yeah, whatever," he grunted.

**

* * *

****A/N: WHAT TIME IS IT? REVIEW TIME! LOL! Anyway, seriously, please review. So far, this is the sweetest chapter I had ever typed (thanks to my dear beta reader, _tiger-eye-heart_, for adding some stuffs here and there and correcting my grammar). Oh, and I like Good!Narcissa and Good!Lucius. Isn't Narcissa adorable? hahaha :D  
**

**And well, I just realized something. SIX MORE MONTHS BEFORE HP6! Hahaha, I seriously cannot wait. **

**Anyway, REVIEW!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: The usual…**

**A/N: And so, I'm back with chapter five! Anyway, just read this. I don't have anything to say. Enjoy! :D**

**

* * *

****Chapter Five: SCREAM!**

_7. I want to lose my voice._

Draco frowned as his eyes trained over Hermione's still unfinished list. Together, they'd accomplished four things – Hermione became a child again when Draco brought her to Felicity's birthday party; she had her tree house in his backyard; her _Hogwarts: A History; Second Edition_ had been published and became an instant best-seller; and lastly, they had gone back to Happy Land Amusement Park to ice skate. So now, the blond was trying to plan what to do with Hermione's next goal. The problem, though, was that he didn't know how to start.

"Draco, stop staring daggers at the parchment," Hermione said suddenly, observing the blond seated beside her. "You're making holes, you know."

The blond scowled and gave Hermione the parchment. "Look at your bloody number seven, Granger." Hermione raised an eyebrow but still followed him. "You want to lose your voice? I think that's just plain stupid, Hermione." He crossed his arms against his chest and pouted at her. "Why do you want to lose your voice?"

"It's not stupid!" she protested, hugging the parchment against her chest. Draco raised an eyebrow, his frown deepening. "All right, fine, it's stupid… but only a little I tell you!" She sighed and placed the list on top of her coffee table, smoothing the folded edges. "Look, Draco, I have no idea why I placed that on my list… I think I was just possessed or something - ."

"You are always possessed," he pointed out. "And don't protest, young lady."

Hermione just chuckled while Draco smirked. "Whatever," she told him.

"Fine, Granger, if you want to bloody lose your voice," he said, "then I suggest you wear something casual and comfortable."

The brunette looked at him curiously. "Now, where are you planning to take me?" she asked him, hands gripping the list again.

Draco gave her a grin. "Well, where can you lose your voice?" the blond asked.

"Hmm… let's see," she said, putting a thoughtful look on her face. Her finger was tapping against her chin. "A rally?" she asked. "Oh, no, no, no. That's just plain stupid. Wait, what about… a dragon's den! I sure would scream there." Her eyes grew wide. "Oh my God, what if you bring me to some slaughter house where house-elves are being killed! Draco Malfoy, don't you dare or I'll cut your - ."

"Silly, silly Beaver," the blond said, cutting her off from her sentence.

"We're going to Happy Land Amusement Park. Happy now?"

"Oh," she said, a smile slowly growing on her face. "OH!" She jumped off from the couch and made a mad dash towards her room. "I'll be right back."

**

* * *

**"Merlin, I see birds twittering around my head," Draco said, clutching his head while releasing a soft groan. A distinct scream from the roller coaster they had just ridden was heard.

Hermione giggled and patted the dizzy blond's head. "Don't worry, Ferret, you'll get used to it," she said. "Wasn't it fun? I mean, the sudden rush of wind and all. That's what you call an adrenaline rush, Draco."

Draco shrugged. "I've got to admit it was kind of fun," he admitted truthfully. "The Haunted House, too. But Merlin, Granger, do you still have to be afraid. I mean, you're twenty-five-years-old, for goodness' sake! And you're still afraid of bloody Haunted Houses that don't contain anything scarier than a mere ghost in Hogwarts!"

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Yeah, whatever." She stretched her arms above her head while her eyes were closed. "So, where are we going now?"

The blond looked around, a thoughtful look on his face. "Hmmm…" he said, tapping a finger against his chin. His eyes landed on the rotating ride and his smile grew. "What about the Ferris Wheel?"

Hermione gave a squeak of protest. "Ferris Wheel? No bloody way," she exclaimed.

He cocked an eyebrow. "And, pray tell, why not?" he asked. "Hermione, you'd practically dragged me to every ride in this amusement park. The only ride we haven't been on yet is the Ferris wheel. Why not go on it?"

The brunette walked away from him, shooting him a pointed look. "Think, Draco, think," she muttered.

At first, Draco was confused. Why didn't she like to ride the Ferris wheel? And then, realization dawned on him. How could he forget? He slapped his forehead, feeling slightly foolish. Hermione always refused whenever he tried to persuade her to ride a broomstick and practice Quidditch with him. "Oh yeah," he said, nodding his head. "You're afraid of heights, right?"

Hermione gave him a small smile. "Glad you remembered," she told him as she started to walk away.

Draco rolled his eyes and jogged to keep up with her. "That's stupid, Hermione," he said. "There's nothing wrong with riding the Ferris Wheel. I've been watching it for a while now, you know. And I discovered that it can't hurt you at all. That thing just goes around and around and around. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"Malfoy, what if we got _stuck_ at the very top?" she squeaked, shivering slightly from the thought. "We might get stuck there for a few minutes or worse… hours. And then, I'll be afraid to look down because I'll feel that same feeling I get every time I'm in a high place and all. It's scary, I tell you. Scary."

He snorted to stop her rambling. "Again, there's nothing to be afraid of, Beaver," he reassured her. "We'll be safe up there."

She scoffed. "Easy for you to say since you're so used in being above the ground."

"Tell me, why are you so afraid of heights, Hermione?" he asked in disbelief. "I mean, yeah I know being afraid is normal. But your fear is just huge. Why is that? Did something happen?" Draco took a small step towards her, causing Hermione to become slightly uncomfortable.

Hermione turned red. "I… erm… No comment."

Draco scowled. "I knew it! Hey, no keeping secrets from me, Granger. I'm your best friend and I have the right to know," he scolded her.

"You don't need to know everything about me, Ferret," Hermione angrily said, glaring darkly at the blond. "And besides, it's my… EEP!" She suddenly shrieked when she realized she was trapped inside a hula hoop. She looked up and met startlingly blue eyes with a small, sheepish smile.

"What are you doing?!" Draco bellowed, making Hermione flinch slightly. Passing people looked at them out of curiosity. "Get that bloody thing off of her!"

Hermione placed a hand on his arm to calm him down. "Keep your voice down, Draco. You're attracting too much attention," she told him softly.

"I'm sorry," the stranger said. He held up a note, showing it to both Hermione and Draco. "I was caught, too, you know. And they made me do a dare." Hermione raised an eyebrow while the guy cleared his throat nervously. "Go on, read it. Then, you'll understand."

The brunette snatched the small note away from the young man, probably in his mid-twenties, with blue eyes. Her eyes then scanned the note, her face growing redder after reading each sentence.

_Dare: Find a girl that you think is beautiful. Bring her to the marriage booth and there marry her. Good luck!_

"Err…" the brunette uneasily said, eyes darting from the sheepish young man to her suspicious best friend and back.

"Give me that," Draco said slightly angrily as he snatched the small note away from Hermione's hands. His face grew red, too, after reading it.

"So, what do you think?" the stranger asked. "You can refuse, you know I won't force you. Will you" – he gave her a charming smile – "accompany me to the marriage booth and do the honor of being my bride?"

"Um, sure," a furiously blushing brunette said at the same time Draco said "No way!"

Hermione shot him a wary look and shook her head. "Come on, Draco. It's just a game," she told him. "It won't hurt to try. Goodness, I have never been dragged to a marriage booth before."

Draco's wand hand twitched uneasily beside his pocket (where his wand was currently buried). The stranger was giving him a hopeful look. It was easy to say that the young man was good-looking. That simple fact made the blond angrier.

"All right, fine," he said, making Hermione smile at him appreciatively. Draco shot the stranger a warning look above the oblivious brunette's head. He was pleased when the young man frowned.

"Come on," Hermione said. She then looked back at the stranger. "Err… I didn't quite catch your name. You are?"

"Justin Ames," the young man said, giving Hermione another charming smile. "And you are?"

"Hermione Granger," she said.

"It's a pleasure meeting you, Hermione," he said, grasping her right hand to shake it.

Draco wrenched Hermione's hand away from the Justin 'Bloody' Ames. Instead, he grabbed the stranger's hand and shook it not-so-gently. "Draco Malfoy, nice to see you, mate," he said through gritted teeth.

Hermione frowned at her best friend. "I think that's quite enough, Draco," she said, noticing the pained expression on Justin's face. "Let's just go." She then looked at the new young man. "Can we bring a witness? I mean, true marriages should have a witness, right Ferret?"

"Whatever, Beaver," Draco said distractedly, still shooting warning glares towards Justin.

"Err… right," he answered, confused with their nicknames for each other. "Anyway, let's just go."

**

* * *

**"That was rude, Draco Malfoy!" Hermione exclaimed, both hands resting on her hips.

Draco rolled his eyes. "He deserved it, Hermione," he spat. "He" – the blond pointed at her lips – "kissed you right on the lips."

"That was part of his dare!" she shrieked, blushing furiously. "I mean, grooms just don't kiss their brides on their cheeks."

The blond snorted. "Merlin, Granger, that was just a marriage booth. He had no right to kiss you straight on your bloody lips." He then touched her lips and started to wipe them. Draco was disgusted, thinking that some of Justin Ames' saliva could still be lingering on her lips.

Hermione slapped his arm away from her. "Draco, you're acting like a complete git," she told him. "I'm not your younger sister, you know."

"Granger," the blond said. "That's what you are to me, right now. I'm your _older brother_. Someone has to look after you since you have that… that blasted disease."

"Oh, I can take care of myself, thank you very much," Hermione said, scowling defiantly. "Malfoy, look, I don't need someone to look after me like I'm a naughty little child."

"Granger…"

"You still shouldn't have punched him, you know," the brunette said, sighing.

"He deserved it," he said stubbornly. "He was incessantly _flirting_ with you, didn't you notice?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she denied, crossing her arms against her chest. "Stop inventing things, Draco. It's not funny."

Draco looked indignant. "I'm not inventing things!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms above his head. "Look Hermione, I… WHAT THE BLOODY HELL?!" The blond scowled at the hula hoop wrapped around his waist.

Rolling his eyes, he turned around and discovered himself face-to-face with a blonde girl with blue eyes. "What do you want?" he growled.

"Draco, be nice," Hermione tutted, shaking her head apologetically at the girl. "You were given another dare, eh?"

The blonde smiled, handing Draco the note. "Please read it," she said.

Rolling his eyes again, he snatched the note away from the girl and started to read. After reading, a scowl was adorning his face. "No way," he said, crumpling the note. "I won't do it."

The pretty blonde frowned. "Oh please," she said. "It's just something harmless, you know. I don't want to pay if I didn't do the bloody dare. So be good, Mister and just do the damnable dare."

Draco shot her a glare while Hermione, confused, bent down and picked up the crumpled paper. While smoothing it, the brunette said, "Come on Draco, don't be such a kill joy. Just do the dare and…" She stopped once her eyes landed on her best friend kissing the blonde straight on the lips… _on the lips_. "What the…"

The blond pulled away from the other girl and scowled. "There, happy. Now go away and stop pestering me."

The pretty blonde hmmped before turning on her heel and marching away.

Hermione looked down on the note and read.

_Dare: Find the handsomest guy in the amusement park and give him a kiss. Good luck._

The brunette looked up and scowled at the blond. "It didn't say that you should kiss her on the lips, Malfoy," she grumbled, crumpling the paper again.

"It's a harmless kiss, Hermione. No harm done. See?" he said, gesturing at his body.

Hermione's scowl grew and she stomped away from the blond. Draco, surprised, jogged after her. "I don't get you, Draco Malfoy," she spat at him, glaring through her long eyelashes. "Why can't I _kiss_ anyone while you can?"

Draco frowned. "Because I'm a boy and you're a girl. Enough said," he said.

"Sexist," she spat.

"I'm a Pureblood and you're a Muggle-born?" he suggested, unsure of himself.

"Racist," she spat again. "Kind of."

Draco sighed and trailed behind her until Hermione stopped in a stand. She bought a red, long thing with catsup, mayonnaise, and mustard and then sat down on one of the chairs. Draco mimicked her actions, buying food he had never seen before and sat down across from Hermione.

"You're upset," he stated.

Hermione took a bite from her food before glaring up at him. "Of course I am. I'm upset," she said as she took another bite.

He sighed. "Why are you upset, Granger?" he asked. "It was just a harmless kiss, I swear."

"You don't get me, Draco," she said. "I'm not upset because of that… well, yeah, kind of. But I'm upset because of you're being too protective. I can be with any guy I want, you know. You can't just prance around punching any guy who shows even the smallest bit of interest in me."

Draco scowled. "Why do you keep on pestering me about this matter, huh?"

"Because you're treating me like a child!" she exclaimed. "Draco Malfoy, I'm twenty-five-years-old. I can take care of myself and - ."

"No you can't," he grumbled.

"What?"

"You can't. You can't take care of yourself," Draco said. "If you could, you wouldn't be sick with a disease that you won't let anyone attempt to cure."

Hermione opened and closed her mouth, unsure of what to say. Her cheeks turned into a vivid shade of red and tears threatened to fall. "It's not my fault I'm sick, Malfoy," she spat.

Draco groaned. "Why are you being so difficult?" he asked, alarmed at her misting eyes. He stood up and sat down on the chair just beside the brunette. He took both of her hands and squeezed them. "Don't cry."

The brunette took a shuddering breath. "Please, stop what you're doing…you're being way too protective," she gasped. "Every time you do that, you remind me that I'm sick and dying."

The blond looked at her guilty. He hadn't known that. "I'm sorry," he said.

A tear slipped down her cheek. "Just answer me, Draco. Why are you being so overprotective of me?" she asked.

He released a huge sigh and frowned. His eyes connected with hers. "It's because I… I want you to spend your remaining months with me, and only me," he said, being truthful. He lowered his eyes and gulped, embarrassed.

"You're being selfish," she told him.

He blushed. "I know that," he said softly. "It's just that… you're the only person who really cares about me, Hermione, excluding my parents. My parents love me, of course. But when the Dark Lord was still rising, Father was shrouded with darkness and was too busy serving his Master to show any love for his son. Mother, on the other hand, was too busy worrying for her husband to know that I was still there for her. I don't have any other friends, Beaver. I know you know that."

"Oh Draco, what did they do to you?" Hermione asked, grabbing his chin so that he had to look directly into her eyes. Draco pursed his lips upon seeing the tears slipping down from Hermione's eyes. He stared at her eyes, seeing genuine concern and care. He sighed; he would miss that. Draco wasn't surprised when Hermione suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug.

"I'm sorry I'm going to leave you," she murmured, sniffing at times. "You don't deserve to be alone again, Draco. You've changed for good. You can't be alone again."

**

* * *

**"So, what do you call this?" the blond asked, eyeing the long, red food he had bought a while ago. Hermione had stopped crying a few minutes ago. The only proof of her sobbing was her red, puffy eyes. Though, a small smile was now adorning her face.

The brunette then lifted the food against her mouth and took a bite. "It's what you call a 'hotdog'," she told him, munching it silently. "Try it. It's delicious."

The blond eyed the food cautiously before lifting it out of its container. He sniffed it first, ignoring Hermione's soft giggle, before biting it.

"So?" she asked, eyeing him carefully.

Draco gave her the brightest smile she had ever since. "It's delicious! Utterly delectable," he exclaimed, taking another bite. Hermione shook her head. Draco had found another food that he would love forever and ever. "How come I've never seen nor heard nor tasted this food before now?"

"I have tons and tons of hotdogs in my refrigerator," she told him.

He frowned. "Oh yeah, I remembered that," he said. "From now on, every time I demand you to cook my breakfast for me, you'll cook hotdogs instead of your pancakes. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Hermione said, softly laughing to herself.

"Now, finish yours, Beaver," Draco said. "We're going to ride all the rides again, _except_ the Ferris Wheel. You still haven't fulfilled your seventh goal."

"Yeah."

**

* * *

**"Coffee Crumble?" Draco offered, his voice sounding hoarse from screaming. Beside him, Hermione was laughing.

"Yes, yes, of course," she said, voice hoarse too. They had ridden the rollercoaster five times already. Each ride, they would scream their lungs out. So now, the consequences were showing. And Hermione liked that. She finally fulfilled her seventh goal.

The blond was looking at her curiously. "What's funny?" he asked, frowning.

Hermione giggled again. "Nothing," she said, clearing her throat afterwards. "It's just funny because… well, it's my first time to lose my voice."

Draco gave her a smile while handing her the Coffee Crumble ice cream. "Yeah, it's my first time, too," he said, licking his ice cream.

"Thanks for today, Draco," she said, patting his hand.

"Anything for my favorite beaver," he said, giving her a small smirk.

Hermione returned the smirk, her hand resting on the hand which was clutching his ice cream. Without warning, she shoved his ice cream right at the middle of his nose.

Draco looked at her, surprised, while the brunette was hoarsely laughing. He wiped away the ice cream from his nose, revenge already filling his eyes. He held the hand which was clutching Hermione's precious Coffee Crumble and shoved it directly at the middle of her mouth and chin. This time, it was Draco laughing.

The brunette scowled then stuck out her tongue, running it under her lower lip to remove the ice cream. "That was uncalled for!" she exclaimed, croakily.

The blond just laughed and shook his head. "Come on, I'll take you home," he said, eyes trained in the night sky. "I think there'll be a thunderstorm tonight. The clouds look just so sad and weary."

Upon hearing the word 'thunderstorm', Hermione froze. Her eyes widened as she stared back at her best friend. "Can I sleep in your house tonight?" she asked. "The boogey monster's still under my bed. It doesn't want to go away and leave me alone."

Draco gave her a wide, knowing smirk. "Of course," he said.

**

* * *

**The Malfoy heir was seated on one of his plush couches, waiting for Hermione to finish washing the dishes. He had offered to help her but Hermione refused, telling him that it was payment for letting her stay in his house for the night.

Draco moved his head slightly and winced. His right hand snaked up to his neck and massaged it. He sighed. "I guess I must have pulled a muscle on the roller coaster," he thought with a smirk. After all, they had ridden it over and over again.

"Experiencing neck tenderness, eh?" the brunette asked. Draco looked up and gave her a small smile. The brunette was already wearing her pajamas. Her hair was tied up into a messy bun, a few tendrils already framing her face. He watched as the brunette approached him.

"Go sit on the floor," she ordered him.

Draco looked at her suspiciously but, obliged anyway. He sat down on his carpeted floor, Indian Style, while Hermione nestled on his couch directly above him. She pried his hand away from his neck and replaced it with her own.

The blond shivered. Her hand felt a little cold, though, comforting. Hermione started to massage his neck gently, working out the kinks. She was doing a good job and Draco leant towards her touch. He then released a soft groan, making the brunette smile.

"Feeling better?" she asked.

He nodded, looking up at her gratefully. "Yes, yes, now time for your bed, Hermione," he said.

Hermione rolled her eyes before releasing a wide yawn. "All right," she said. She kissed his cheek and stood up. "Goodnight Draco."

"Sleep tight," he said, grinning.

"Don't let the bed bugs bite." And with that, Hermione disappeared from his sight.

**

* * *

**Rain roared loudly against the guest room where Hermione was currently sleeping, shaking her awake from her deep slumber. Her eyes widened once thunder rumbled in, dark sky followed by a blinding flash of lightning, illuminating her entire room.

Abruptly, she sat up and hugged her knees closer to her chest. There was a storm again. Draco's prediction had been right after all.

"EEP!" she shrieked, tears leaking from her eyes as she covered both ears with her hands. Under her breath, she sang the lullaby that her mother had sung to her every time a storm was approaching their house… she sang the song that kept on playing in her music box which could calm her down in times like this.

Another flash of lightning roared, this time making Hermione jump from her bed. She made a mad dash towards Draco's room, which was a few doors away from the room she currently occupied.

Once at his door, she flung it open and run towards his bed (which was at the very middle of the room). "Draco, Draco, wake up!" she exclaimed urgently, tears still spilling down from her face.

The blond immediately jerked awake, his eyes landing on the crying brunette. "What? What is it?!" he asked, troubled by her tears. "Are you feeling okay? Do you feel any pain? Dizzy? Do you feel dizzy? Do you want me to make you a Pepper-Up Potion? Come on, Hermione! Tell me! Tell me what's wrong with you!"

Hermione stared at him, surprised at his outburst. He jumped to a conclusion, Hermione presumed, knowing that he was asking her if her symptoms had started to show. The brunette sighed. Dr. Nobleman had told them clearly that her symptoms would show after two months.

"No, no, I'm fine," she said, sniffing softly. "It's just that… EEK!" She hastily covered her ears upon hearing another clap of thunder. "It's just that there's a boogey monster under the bed in your guest

room, Draco. It won't let me sleep in peace!" She said in one shaky breathe.

At first, Draco was speechless. But then, he started to shake with laughter. "Goodness, Hermione, why don't you just admit that you're afraid of thunderstorms?" he asked her, scooting to the left to give the brunette the space she was demanding.

"I'm not," she protested indignantly, immediately lying down beside him. Her arms found their way around his bare torso and she snuggled closer.

"You scared me there, you know," he said, his hand now on her back. He unconsciously pulled her closer to him.

"I'm sorry," she said, smiling sheepishly in the dark. "EEP!"

"Lightning won't strike you at all, Beaver," he said, wiping away some tears from her face. "You're safely inside my house. No need to be afraid."

"I said I'm not afraid of thunderstorms," she grumbled under her breath, eyes drooping close.

"Sure, Sure. Just keep telling yourself that," he told her, a sleepy grin present on his face. He blindly groped for his beaver stuffed toy in the darkness. Once clutching it, he placed it just beside Hermione's head. "I bet your ferret's afraid now, Hermione," he said.

Hermione chuckled. "He's not," she said. "He's one tough guy."

And as they drifted asleep in each other's arms, both knew she was no longer talking about the stuffed toy, which caused a smile to remain on the blond's face all night long.

**

* * *

****A/N: And, end. I'll be honestly to all of you guys – I really planned to update on Saturday but I was so tempted and whatsoever and so, I gave in. **

**Anyway, REVIEW PLEASE! :D**


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: All of the authors and readers should probably know what should be typed here, right?**

**A/N: Oh, and here I am. Back and alive. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, EVERYONE! I really planned on updating on St. Valentine's Day. **

**Anyway, just read this and enjoy!**

**

* * *

****Chapter Six: Of Broomsticks and Bicycles**

_6. I want to face my fears._

"Damn this storm," the brunette cursed softly, cringing every time thunder would roar or lightning would illuminate her apartment.

The brunette was in her living room, sitting on her couch. Her knees were drawn to her chest and her blue comforter was draped around her shoulders. She was wearing her pajamas as she was getting ready for bed. There was someone missing, though – Draco Malfoy. The blond had promised her that he would sleep at her apartment tonight after predicting that a storm would hit.

Hermione had seen in the Muggle news that the storm would soon leave London, making her relieved.

The brunette waited for hours, occasionally changing the channel on her television. The storm had already calmed down but Hermione was still uneasy. Where was Draco? He was supposed to be in her apartment right now.

She then busied herself by watching _Tom and Jerry_ on Cartoon Network. It never ceased to amaze her or make her laugh. All right, the only thing the characters did was chase each other around, but still, she found the cartoon hilarious. She could remember watching it with her parents so long ago.

Suddenly, her front door burst open. Hermione shrieked loudly, eyes immediately landing on her front door while clutching her wand tightly. She released a huge sigh of relief upon seeing it was only Draco. He was, however, wearing his Quidditch uniform. He was also dripping wet, even though the storm had already stopped, and he was clutching his broom.

"Oh, finally!" he exclaimed, dragging himself inside Hermione's apartment.

"You'll dirty my apartment!" the brunette screeched, wand pointed directly at Draco to clean him up. She also cleaned the stains he had made on her carpet before beginning her interrogation. "Draco, what the hell happened to you? And why are you wearing Quidditch robes? And why are you holding your broomstick? And where do you think you're going?!"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Granger, you ask too many questions," he said. "And for your information, I'm going to take a nice, warm bath. Just wait for me here. We're going to do something."

"And what, pray tell, is that?" Hermione asked, eyes instantly narrowing in suspicion.

"Now, now, Beaver, I just told you that you're asking too many questions," the blond said, a large smirk adorning his pale, handsome face. His eyes briefly shifted from his beloved broomstick back to her, his smirk still plastered on his face. "See you later, Granger."

And with that, he disappeared behind Hermione's bathroom door.

Hermione, eyes glaring at the broomstick, had a sinking feeling that she knew what would happen once Draco was done taking his bath.

**

* * *

**"NO BLOODY WAY!" Hermione screamed, face absolutely red from screaming and fear. Her eyes were staring defiantly and frightfully at the broomstick clutched tightly in the blond's right hand. "There's no bloody way you'll make me, Draco Malfoy. I'd rather… I'd rather die than ride that… that thing!"

Draco flinched. A frown now was adorning his face while he cradled his broomstick, his _precious _broomstick, closer to his chest. "Oh, cut it out, Hermione," he said. "This thing" – he gave it to the brunette but she swatted it away – "won't harm you at all. It doesn't have any teeth or claws."

The brunette stubbornly crossed her arms and looked away from him. "No, I won't ride it. And that's final!" she exclaimed.

At the corner of her eyes, she watched as Draco rummaged inside his pocket and retrieved a crumpled piece of paper. He smoothed it and forced the brunette to look at the paper. "See, Granger. Look at number six on your list. _'6. I want to face my fears.'_ So, don't you dare back out now! I thought you wanted to accomplish your list before you die."

He smirked triumphantly once Hermione's face turned ghostly pale. He knew he was winning. Draco clutched her arm and gently gave her his broomstick. "So, come on now, Beaver. You won't fall, I swear," he promised, his smirk still plastered on his face. "Don't worry; I'm going to watch you. If you fall, which won't happen at all, I'll catch you. Is that all right?"

"No," the brunette said, shaking her head. Draco scowled and glared at the stubborn brunette.

"Quit being stubborn, Granger," he said. "The Almighty might kick you out from heaven if you're dead."

The brunette snorted unceremoniously and glared at the offending thing she was now clutching. "Fine, I'll face this bloody fear of mine." Draco grinned appreciatively. "But" – his smile faltered –"you're going to be in front of me. I'll be at the back."

Draco scowled. "Granger, my broomstick might break," he said. "You're too heavy. I don't want to lose my broomstick."

"I'm not heavy!" she protested, cheeks reddening.

"You eat rocks, right?" he teased, followed by small chuckles when the brunette playfully punched his arm. "All right, all right. I'll be in front of you. Happy now?"

"Slight," she said. "At least, if I fall, you'll be with me."

The blond just rolled his eyes and sat down on his broom. He scooted forward, giving the brunette some room.

Hermione, not really knowing how to sit properly, ended up side-saddling.

"Why the hell are you seated like that?" the blond asked, amused. "Side-saddling? Seriously, Granger, do you think you're that Sabrina the Teenage Witch or something?"

She only scowled and fixed her position.

"Hold on tight, Hermione," the blond instructed, looking over his shoulder.

Hermione glared at him, arms crossed tightly against her chest. "I won't," she said. "Ferret."

Draco just shrugged. "Suit yourself." With a strong kick, they shot up into the night sky.

The brunette shrieked in surprise and fear, arms immediately wrapping themselves tightly around Draco's midsection. She closed her eyes and buried her face into the crook of his neck, shaking madly.

The blond, on the other hand, was just laughing. "Come on, Hermione, open your eyes," he persuaded, hair billowing against his face. "It's not frightening. Look, the stars are so beautiful up there. Oh, and the moon. It's so bright and big. Come on, open your eyes."

"No way! Draco Malfoy! Take us down this instant!" she shrieked loudly against his ear.

"Merlin, woman, can you shout any louder?" he asked, scowling. "And please, stop gripping me tightly, Granger. I have to breathe, remember?"

Hermione just punched his back, earning an 'ow' from the blond.

"Come on," he said, savoring the feeling of the wind brushing against his cheek. "Granger, open your eyes. I've never felt so alive before!"

"Good!" she cried. "Because I'm going to kill you, you bloody, sickening, annoying, twitching, bouncing ferret! Now, take us down! Take us down this instant!"

Draco just rolled his eyes, ignoring her usage of adjectives.

They continued to ride on Draco's broomstick. The blond would occasionally try to persuade Hermione to open her eyes but in the end, the brunette would always refuse.

He sighed, eyes trained intently on the bright, full moon. He had never brought someone to ride behind him on his precious broomstick. Draco normally liked it whenever he flew alone, just enjoying the comforting touches of the wind.

The Malfoy heir looked behind him. Hermione was still closing her eyes tightly, afraid to even take a peek. Unbeknownst to him, a small smile was starting to grow on his face.

He had to admit, the broomstick ride was kind of… _romantic_. Yes, that was the word. A boy and a girl, riding on a broomstick under the full moon. Draco Malfoy was a certified romantic, labeled by all of the girls in their Hogwarts years. He would always bring his girlfriends for the week to romantic and expensive dinner dates. But a broomstick ride under the full moon? He had never thought of that. Mostly, his girlfriends would be wearing fancy dresses so flying on a broomstick romantically was not exactly a good option.

Basically, Hermione Granger was the first person to accompany Draco Malfoy on a romantic broomstick ride (even if it was hesitantly).

Looking back at the full moon, the blond remembered a movie he and Hermione had watched a few nights ago.

"'_I can show you the world,'_" he murmured, remembering Aladdin as he tried to persuade Princess Jasmine to open her eyes. Behind him, Hermione chuckled softly. Apparently, she remembered that song, too. "_'Shining, shimmering, splendid. Tell me - ._"

"Oh, shut up," she said, releasing a few more giggles. "My God, Draco, you're voice can make a Banshee envious. Just stop singing."

Draco rolled his eyes, though a smile was gracing his face. "I won't until you open your eyes," he told her. "_'Tell me, princess, now when did you last let your heart decide.'_"

"Stop it, just stop it," Hermione said, now laughing loudly. Draco looked back and to his delight, Hermione's eyes were open. "I can't believe that you remembered that song. We watched Aladdin a few weeks ago!"

"Don't look down," he said, smirking once Hermione realized that her eyes were wide open. "And no, don't close your eyes either. Just look up Hermione. You'll love it."

Scared, Hermione hesitantly looked up to the night sky. Draco hadn't been lying. The night sky was so beautiful. The brunette's eyes widened in awe, pinpointing all of the constellations that she knew of. Her eyes then landed on the full moon. "It's so big," she said is awe. Draco absentmindedly nodded his head.

"You know, when I was a child, I dreamt of flying to the moon," the brunette said. "I love cheese, you know. And the moon looks like it's made from it. So I dreamt of flying to the moon and eating it. Funny, eh?"

"Weird," he said, now spotting Hermione's tree house in his backyard. To his surprise, Hermione started to softly sing, too.

"'_Unbelievable sights, indescribable feeling',_" she said, laughing softly.

The blond shook his head. In actuality, Hermione's voice was lovely. He had discovered it a few years ago when he accidentally heard her singing the song which was played in her music box.

"'_Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling through an endless diamond sky. A whole new world. A ne - .'_"

"Now, now Granger, cut it out," he said, laughing with her, too. He then maneuvered his broomstick to land softly on Hermione's tree house.

"That was the end?" she asked, surprised. "We were only in the sky for a few minutes!"

"Of course," he said, looking at her suspiciously. "But, weren't you wishing that the ride would finish as soon as possible."

All Hermione did was give him a sheepish smile.

**

* * *

**They huddled in the tree house for quite awhile. They talked almost about everything – pointless or not. Draco told her about his Quidditch practice while the storm was ranging. Hermione told him about how she tried so hard to shoo away the boogey monster under her bed (making him look at her in amusement).

Eventually, they sat at the edge of the tree house, dangling their feet over the edge. Draco's red comforter was draped around them, warming them against the cold, biting wind. The blond summoned Jinky (much to Hermione's annoyance) to make them some hot chocolate and they clutched their hot mugs, enjoying the warmth.

"Hermione?" he asked, feeling quite uncertain.

"Yeah?" she asked after slowly sipping her hot drink.

"Tell me why you're afraid of heights," he said. He had this determined look on his face, meaning he wouldn't drop the subject unless he was satisfied with Hermione's answer.

She visibly paled and her eyes widened as she stared at her best friend. "I'll be faithful to my answer before, Draco. Again, no comment."

He scowled. "Granger, come on!" he exclaimed. "If you think that whatever happened is laughable, I'll promise I won't laugh at you."

Hermione frowned, brows knitted together. She thought for a minute, unconsciously twirling her mug. And then, she released a defeated sigh. "It's not laughable," she slowly said, still a bit hesitant in telling Draco about this 'specific incident' in her life. "Not at all. In fact, it was horrifying." She released a rueful sigh and placed the hot chocolate beside her. "I honestly wanted to forget it but you" – she looked at him warily – "are being utterly persuasive today."

Draco shrugged. "Well, what can I say? I'm Draco Malfoy. I'm good at persuasion," he said, making Hermione smile slightly. "So, what's your story?"

The brunette licked her lips nervously and looked at her clasped hands on her lap. "Did you know that… that I had an older brother?" she slowly asked.

"You do?" he asked, surprised. He honestly thought that Hermione was an only child ever since he met her in Hogwarts.

"Did," she corrected. "I said 'had', Draco. I had an older brother."

"Eh?" he asked.

"His name was Daniel Granger," she continued softly… quite shakily.

Alarmed, Draco held her right hand and gave it a gentle squeeze for comfort. Hermione looked up at him, grateful.

"Danny loved me dearly," she said softly. "I loved him, too, you know. Actually, I still love him right now. He's the best big brother in the whole wide world. We rarely fought. When I was being bullied, he would save me. When I was crying because mother or father had scolded me for being a naughty, naughty child, Danny would go into my room and comfort me, promising me that he would treat me to Coffee Crumble the next day. He's everything I wanted a big brother to be."

"What happened?" he asked softly, urging her to continue.

"Well," she said, horrified that her eyes were misting, "my parents were dentists and they had their clinic in a building somewhere here in London. Their clinic was on the thirty-second floor. Every time our nanny left for a few days of vacation, Mommy and Daddy would bring us in their clinic. I liked those days, honestly. I liked looking at all the equipment which dentists normally use." She paused and took a deep, shuddering breath. "I also liked going to their clinic because there was a balcony… it was prohibited to smoke inside the building so the owner had the brilliant idea of placing balconies off of every room which would serve as the smoking area."

Draco pursed his lips. He already had a feeling what would happen next as he watched the crying brunette. He placed an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

"I loved playing on the balcony," she softly cried. "I didn't care that it smelled like cigarette or smoke. I just liked hanging out there when Mommy and Daddy were too busy with their patients. They would request Daniel to look after me, being the big brother he was. I tended to be reckless when I was younger. I used to sit at the edge of the balcony. I was just five-years-old, for goodness' sake! I was just being, you know, curious and all."

"And then, one time, I was standing at the edge of the balcony, liking the feeling of the wind blowing against my face." The brunette paused to softly sniff. "Stupid, I know, but then again, I was just a reckless child. And then, I fell. Thankfully I gripped the balcony. I called for Danny as Mommy and Daddy couldn't hear us."

"I saw Danny's look. Oh God, he was so worried," she said, wiping her eyes. "He stood at the very edge of the balcony and held my hand. _'Don't worry, 'Mione. Everything will be all right!'_ he reassured me, trying to pull me up. I was so, so scared and I desperately clutched Danny's hand. Thankfully, he pulled me up and I tumbled onto the balcony. I was saved…saved by my older brother… saved by my superhero."

"I turned around and I saw Danny loose his balance and… and… fall from the balcony. I rushed towards him, reaching out my hand so he could grab it. He did… he did. I called out for Mommy and Daddy… calling for help. But Danny's hand was slipping away from my grasp. He told… he told me that I shouldn't cry. He… he told me that he loves me and I'll always be the best younger sister he ever had. And then, he let go… _he just let go_."

Hermione openly cried. She buried her face into the crook of Draco's neck and wrapped an arm around his neck. "He was so young… he was still so young. Mommy and Daddy pointedly told me it wasn't my fault… that I was just a child. But they didn't get me! If I was just careful, Danny wouldn't have died. It's my fault… all my fault…"

"Shh…" the blond consoled, rubbing a hand against her back. So that was why she was afraid of heights, eh? Draco bet even Potter and Weasley didn't even know. "Calm down, Hermione. Please don't cry."

The brunette continued to sob against his neck, clutching him tightly as if he was giving her the source of comfort. Soon, her cries turned into soft sniffing until it completely stopped.

Hermione broke free from Draco's hug and gazed at the night sky. Her cheeks were still tearstained but the brunette didn't even bother wiping it. Again, she was trying to remember the names of the constellations.

Draco, on the other hand, was looking at the brunette, a look of wonder on his face. He found it unfair because, even though she just cried and her eyes were puffy and red, she still managed to mesmerize him.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Hermione asked, eyes still trained on the night sky.

"Yeah," the blond answered breathlessly, eyes still on the brunette. "Absolutely beautiful."

Hermione frowned. There was something in Draco's tone that made her suspicious. She looked at him, eyebrows raised upon seeing that he, too, was staring at the sky. A mysterious smile, though, was playing on his face.

The brunette swore that when he answered her, his eyes were trained intently on her.

Sighing, Hermione slipped out from his comforter and stood up. She stretched her arms above her head and released a wide yawn. "It's my bedtime already," she said, watching as Draco stood up, too. "I'm going back to my apartment now, Draco."

"Don't you want to stay here for the night?" he asked, frowning.

"Nah," the brunette said, rubbing her right eye. "My ferret back home will hate me if I didn't accompany him in my bed tonight." Draco just chuckled and rolled his eyes.

He then leaned down and kissed Hermione's forehead. "'Night, Beaver. Sleep tight," he said.

"Don't let the bed bugs bite," she said, grinning. "Goodnight, Draco. See you tomorrow." And with that, she apparated back to her apartment.

**

* * *

**Hermione clutched the remote control, increasing the volume. She was watching _Aladdin_ again, thinking about the broomstick ride yesterday evening. She was at the part where Aladdin was singing _A Whole New World_ while riding on his magic carpet with Princess Jasmine.

The brunette felt relieved because someone knew about her deepest darkest secret – the death of her older brother. It had haunted her for years now. Merlin, even right now, she could imagine how her hands became so sweaty and how he was slipping from her grasp…

_KRING! KRING!_

Hermione jumped in surprise. She looked at the telephone but frowned when she saw it wasn't ringing at all.

_KRING! KRING!_

There it was again. Hermione stood up from her couch and approached her window. The sound was coming from outside her apartment.

The brunette parted the curtains and was surprised to see Draco, grinning at her. He was riding on a bicycle while holding another vacant one. The incessant ringing was coming from a small bell on the vacant bicycle. Hermione's face instantly became pale.

She ran towards her main door and flung it open. "ARE YOU BARKING MAD?!" she exclaimed, eyeing the vehicle fearfully. "Why are you riding a bicycle, Ferret? And why are you holding another one?"

Draco gave her a mysterious, innocent smile which Hermione didn't like at all.

"I don't like how you look at me, Malfoy," the brunette said, placing both of her hands firmly on her hips and stamping her foot for emphasis.

The blond tutted and shook his head. He leapt from his bike and approached the brunette. "We'll go biking," he announced.

"No way!" Hermione exclaimed. "You know very well that I'm afraid of bikes, right?"

"Yeah, not sporty, right?" he asked, pushing Hermione back to her apartment. "Now, be a doll and fix yourself, Granger. Even if you protest, we're still going."

"But… but…" she stuttered, nervously wringing her wrist as she looked back at the new bicycles. "But I…" She released a huge sigh. It was pointless to protest to a Malfoy, let alone one as narrow-minded as Draco. He was just too stubborn. "All right, fine."

"Now, that's a good beaver," the blond said, patting the brunette's head.

**

* * *

**"Don't let go! DON'T LET GO!" Hermione shrieked hysterically, hands gripping the brakes of her new bike tightly.

Draco sighed and shook his head. He had been trying to teach Hermione how to balance herself on the bike for the last hour, but to no avail. His own bike had been abandoned somewhere near a tree.

The blond brought her to the park… the safest place he thought when it came to riding bikes.

He had praised her mentally for her choice of clothing. She was wearing simple Capri pants that ended a few inches above her ankle. She was also wearing a white, plain shirt underneath the green turtleneck sweater that the blond had given her for her birthday (it was _very_ expensive). Her hair was tied into braids, keeping it away from her face. All in all, she looked quite lovely.

"Hermione," he said, removing both of her hands away from the brakes. "Just relax, okay? All you need to do is balance yourself. No need to be afraid."

"I can't do it, Draco. I really can't do it," she said, almost tearfully.

"Come on, just one more try then I won't force you anymore," he said.

The brunette took a huge breath and nodded. She now looked determined as she gripped the handle of her new bicycle. Another deep breath then, Hermione placed her feet on the pedals and started to move. At first, her ride was wobbly. But soon, the brunette was riding smoothly, though, a bit cautiously.

The blond looked at her, pride for the brunette written all over his face. He could see that she was still afraid, but then, she was trying her best to at least face it.

"I did it!" she exclaimed, eyes dancing with mirth. "I did it, Draco! I did it!"

He couldn't help but smile with her. She was just so beautiful right now. "Granger, look out!" he bellowed, eyes wide upon seeing the lamppost just a few feet away from the brunette.

"What?!" she asked, looking back at him. And then, _CRASH!_ Hermione bumped hard against the lamppost and crashed down, her rear end connecting with the cold pavement. The tire of her bicycle was moving continuously.

Draco snapped out of his reverie and immediately sprang towards the groaning brunette. He noticed that a deep wound was visible on her right leg, blood dripping incessantly on the ground. Quite panicky, Draco scooped the brunette up, Bridal Style, and immediately placed her on the nearest bench in the park.

"Are you quite all right, Hermione?" he asked, immediately plopping down beside the brunette. He gently placed her bleeding leg on top of his lap and brandished his wand. Thank Merlin he was a Healer.

"Quite all right? Do you think I'm quite all right?!" she shrieked, tears threatening to spill.

"Christ, woman, it's just a wound," he said, though, concerned. He was concentrating hard in thinking the right incantation before waving his wand. Instantly, her blood clotted and then soon, there was no proof that a wound had marred her leg a while ago.

"Oh I knew it! I knew it!" the brunette cried, angry with herself for crying shamelessly. She ran a hand over her eyes to wipe away her tears and glared at her new offending bicycle. "I knew that this would happen again! I knew it!"

"What do you mean 'again'?" the blond asked calmly. He shook his head. Hermione's lung cancer was really making her quite emotional lately.

"I was afraid of riding bicycles because I was afraid that something would happen again!" she sobbed, rubbing her unmarred leg.

"All right, Beaver, calm down," he said, placing his thumb against her cheek to wipe away her tears. "It happened. Get over it."

"I shouldn't have agreed to this," she spat, crossing her arms against her chest. "I vowed to myself that I would never, ever ride a bike again after that _particular_ incident."

"What incident?" the blond asked, hand rubbing her neck comfortingly.

Hermione sniffed and ran another hand over her face. "When I was six-years-old, a year after Danny's death, my parents gave me a new bicycle for a gift," she told him. "I was so happy I received it. So, every day after I took my afternoon nap, I would go to the nearest park in our house and ride all day until Mommy called me home."

"I was forbidden to ride in the streets," she continued. "But the park was small and I wanted to ride farther and farther. And so, when Mommy wasn't looking, I rode my bicycle in the streets."

"Let me guess," he slowly said, "you bumped into a car, right?"

Hermione nodded shamefully, eyes staring on the ground. "But, it wasn't moving, thank God. I was moving so fast I became afraid and panicky once I saw this parked car near our house. I hadn't even thought of clutching the brakes. Too late, though, I bumped into it."

"Daddy heard about this," she slowly said. "And he was so mad, I tell you. Absolutely livid. He scolded me for not being careful. _'What if something happened to the car? How would we pay for it?' _I remembered him shouting that to me. I was confused, you know. Daddy didn't even ask me if I was all right."

"That night, I showed Mommy this deep wound on the side of my stomach." The brunette lifted her shirt and showed Draco a small scar. It was quite indistinguishable but it was still there. "When Daddy heard about this, he told me coldly that I should be careful next time."

"I didn't talk to him for weeks," Hermione said. "Honestly, I thought he didn't love me. Imagine a father worrying more about the car than his daughter after an accident?" She looked at her hands and wringed her wrist –a sign that she was quite nervous. "I… I hated my Daddy, you know. But Mommy noticed my distinct coldness towards him. _'He's only worried for you, honey. He doesn't want to lose you, too_.' She told me. And that's when common sense took over me. Daddy only said those things because he was afraid that I'd leave them just like Danny…he only said those words because he loved me. And so, I vowed I would never ride a bike again… so as to not cause him more pain."

Once Hermione was done with her story, the blond looked at the setting sun thoughtfully. So, that was why she was terrified of bike riding, eh?

He sighed. _He_ made her ride a broomstick. _He_ made her ride a bicycle. Despite all the past experiences she had with the said things, she had still mustered all of her Gryffindor bravery and faced all of her fears.

"Granger," he said.

"Yeah?" she asked, tears now drying up.

"I'm so proud of you." He said it simply. No teasing. No hint of malice. Just simple and sincere.

And Hermione, surprised with his sudden small revelation, gave him a smile in return.

**

* * *

**'_I do not need a reason to be angry with God!' _Jamie Sullivan, portrayed by Mandy Moore, exclaimed from the television screen, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

For some strange reason, that line always caught Draco's attention. Every time he heard it, he would stop eating popcorn and watch, wide-eyed.

And for Draco, this Landon Carter was so stupid. He was a looker, all right. Hermione never failed to tell him that she was so in love with Shane West, the actor who portrayed Landon Carter. But his girlfriend was dying, damn it! I mean, the blond suggested to him in his mind that if he wanted to survive from a terrible, huge heartbreak, he would have just broke everything off with Jamie Sullivan.

But that would have been downright insensitive.

The blond sighed and shook his head. They'd been watching _A Walk to Remember_ again. It was strange when Hermione suggested that they watch it after making popcorn. He was sprawled comfortably on Hermione's couch while the brunette sat beside him.

For some strange reason, he could see himself from Landon Carter. The badass. The popular. The looker. But when he met this girl, Jamie Sullivan, his life totally changed. When Draco Malfoy, on the other hand, saved Hermione Granger, his life totally changed. And of course, both women have cancer.

The difference, though, was that Landon and Jamie married at the end and spent the last few months of Jamie's life together. As for Draco and Hermione, Draco Malfoy was a coward and so, he had a feeling that Hermione would leave without marrying him at all.

The blond scowled, hand absentmindedly stroking the hidden engagement ring. They had accomplished Hermione's sixth goal together. And the blond had a feeling that her life was going to end soon… too soon, in his opinion.

Draco was surprised when he suddenly heard sniffing from beside him. He looked at Hermione, wide-eyed as tears fell continuously from her eyes while she bit her knuckles to refrain herself from sobbing loudly.

He looked amused. "Merlin, Granger. We've watched this movie umpteen times and you've never cried before!" he exclaimed, laughing softly.

Hermione slowly looked at him, stifling sobs as she did so. "I… I…" she sputtered, removing her knuckles from her mouth.

Draco's amusement disappeared. He had a feeling that her tears were not because of the movie. "Hermione…" he said, alarmed.

"I…I…" she cried. She covered her face with her hands to stifle her cries. "I don't want to die."

Immediately, Draco stood up and grabbed the remote control. He stopped the movie since it was honestly not helping them at all.

"I don't want to die… I don't want to die," the brunette repeated.

In three big strides, the blond pulled Hermione into a hug, her arms flung tightly around his neck. She buried her face against the crook of his neck and continued to sob. "I… I don't want to die," she sobbed softly. "I still want to live. I don't want to die."

Draco was surprised. Didn't she tell him that she accepted her disease? Didn't she tell him that? But why was she crying right now, murmuring again and again that she didn't want to die?

"I'm afraid… to die," she hiccupped, drying her tears using Draco's shirt (he didn't mind… not at all).

Hermione ended seated on top of his lap, arms still tightly wrapped around his neck. Soon, her sobbing ceased. She was sleeping softly, head still buried against Draco's neck.

Still confused, the blond stood up and carried Hermione, Bridal Style, towards her bedroom. He was just about to gently place her under her covers when he heard a murmur.

"Draco?" she softly said, voice still raw from crying. Hermione reached for his right hand and squeezed it slightly.

"Do you need anything, Hermione?" he asked, sitting down on her bed.

"I'm sorry," she whispered dejectedly.

"Sorry for what?"

"I lied," she simply said. "I lied to you… I told you I was ready to die."

Draco placed a hand beside her cheek and rubbed it gently. Comforted, Hermione slowly closed her eyes. "It's all right, Beaver. Your Ferret's not angry with you."

The brunette gave him a small smile. "I'm afraid to die," she whispered almost inaudibly. But Draco caught it… he caught her voice laced with grief. "It's too early for me to die."

"Do you want me to make a thousand paper cranes?" he asked, talking about the origami. He remembered Hermione telling him about a Japanese legend. It stated that if you made a thousand origami cranes, your wish would come true. "I could wish for you to live longer… or, to make it better, I could wish for your disease to leave you. Do you want me to do that?"

Hermione released a soft chuckle. "Silly, silly, Malfoy," she told him. "That's just a legend. You don't need to make a thousand paper cranes for me. And besides, I don't want to hear your complaints everyday because of having paper cuts and marring your _beautiful_ skin."

Draco couldn't help but to crack a grin. "Anyway, Hermione, I think it is best if you go to sleep now," he told her, pulling her comforter up to her chin. He bent down and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight, Hermione. Sleep tight."

"Don't let the bed bugs bite," she weakly grinned back. "Goodnight, Draco."

And with that, she drifted off into dreamland.

**

* * *

****Disclaimer: As much as I want to own **_**A Walk to Remember**_**, I do not own it at all. This wonderful book belongs to Nicholas Sparks. :D**

**A/N: And, done! My dear readers, I do not have a valentine today (yeah, yeah, boo me). No one gave me flowers, chocolates, or some bloody love letters and so, to cheer me up, please REVIEW! Hugs and kisses to all of you. **


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Not yours. Only JK Rowling's**

**A/N: Seriously, I'm too tired to type anything so, just read and then review afterwards. Enjoy!**

**

* * *

****Chapter Seven: Grow Old with You**

_  
5. I want to hear a song dedicated to me._

Draco was sitting on Hermione's couch, browsing through the DVDs he'd bought a while ago. The aroma of freshly cooked popcorn with butter reached his nose, making him hungrier than he already was.

He then heard her footsteps and immediately, he looked up. She was slightly smiling while clutching the bowl of popcorn in between her hands. "Already found a movie?" she asked, plopping on the couch closely beside him. She placed the bowl on her lap and started to eat. Draco mimicked her actions and also ate the delectable popcorn.

"I still haven't found one," he said, frowning at the CDs scattered on her coffee table.

Hermione peered at the DVDs and then suddenly, she chose one and showed it to the blond. "This, let's watch this," she said, eyes full of mirth.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Titanic?" he asked, reading the title of the movie.

"It's a wonderful movie," she announced, standing up to put the DVD in the DVD player. "And besides, Leonardo di Caprio is absolutely gorgeous in this movie."

The blond just rolled his eyes.

"This moved me to tears, you know," she said. "I watched it a few years ago and it made me cry. Their love story is just so… so _beautiful_. I bet that you'll find this movie wonderful."

"Whatever."

"Oh, wait, by the way," she said, pausing the movie. Draco watched curiously as Hermione rushed towards her kitchen. She then came out, clutching a magazine, _Witch Weekly_ to be exact. The blond, horrified, fell flat on her carpeted floor.

"I burned all of those!" he exclaimed, immediately standing up to snatch the offending material away from Hermione's clutches.

"You burned all of them?" she asked, frowning. She sat down on the couch again and pulled Draco back on the couch. "You didn't want me to see it, did you?"

Draco scowled and stared at the latest edition of _Witch Weekly_. **Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger: More than best friends? **was blaringly flashed on the cover page of said magazine. Underneath it was a picture of the time when they were at Happy Land Amusement Park, eating their ice creams.

"You didn't want me to see it, did you?" she repeated, now scowling deeply. "Why not, Malfoy? You didn't want me to be aware of this… this blasted new gossip?"

He sighed and shook his head. "I didn't want you to get upset over this… _rubbish_," he said, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Well, I wouldn't have been upset!" she exclaimed, gesticulating wildly. "I mean, I should be aware of this, Ferret. I don't want to go to Diagon Alley with a bunch of gossipers looking at me pointedly and whispering behind my backs while I'm utterly… clueless."

"You're upset," he pointed out.

"I'm not," she protested, crossing her arms against her chest.

"Yes, you are," he disagreed.

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'm not playing this childish game, Draco," she told him.

"Look, Hermione," the blond said. "I burned all of them, except this, of course, because I didn't want you to become upset again. I mean, do you remember the time when that Skeeter woman wrote an article about you being the girlfriend of - ." He paused, watching Hermione at the corner of his eyes. He was about to say 'Harry' but stopped since he knew what Hermione's reaction would be.

"It's all right," she said, quite tensely. "You can say _his_ name."

Draco just shook his head. "As I was saying, do you remember that time when that Skeeter woman wrote that particular article about you?" he asked.

The brunette frowned, still miffed at the fact that he had almost said Harry's name. "Of course I remembered that. I blackmailed her even, threatening her that I would tell the Ministry of Magic that she was an unregistered Animagi."

"Are you serious?" he asked, amused. He never knew that Rita Skeeter was an unregistered Animagi.

Hermione nodded. "Yeah, she's a small beetle," she said.

"Wow," he said. "So that's the reason why she knew even Hagrid's deepest, darkest secret."

The brunette then grabbed the magazine placed on the couch and stared at it, a scowl now forming on her face. "I still don't understand why people kept on pestering us," she grumbled under her breath. "I mean, we had made it perfectly clear before that we're best friends and will always be. How come of all the women that got linked to the famous Malfoy heir, I'm the media's favorite?"

"Well what did you really expect? With the way that you act it's a miracle that the rumors only started now," the blond blurted out.

She looked at him curiously. "The way I act?" she asked.

Draco blushed and gulped nervously. _'Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!'_ he exclaimed in his mind. "Well… I mean, you… you always go to my house and sleep with me in my bedroom."

"LITERALLY!" she exclaimed loudly, cheeks burning furiously. "And, best friends sometimes do that!"

The blond flinched and gave her a sheepish smile. "Of course," he said. "But… best friends who are girls. I mean, the slumber party. And then, you always hug me and, you know, kiss me."

"ON THE CHEEK!" she protested. "They're all harmless kisses, Malfoy. No need to find some malice in them."

Draco rolled his eyes. "All right, all right," he grumbled. "And, of course, we're inseparable. Do you honestly think that people won't find something suspicious in that? A boy and a girl, always together…"

Hermione harrumphed softly and looked away from him. "That doesn't mean they have to gossip untrue things behind our backs!" she exclaimed.

"What if…?" the blond slowly said, his eyes trained intently on the brunette's to gauge her reaction. "What if... we were to make the rumors true?"

"Huh?" the brunette asked, confused.

"What if we make the rumors true and prove that we're going out?" he asked, seriousness evident on his face.

"EXCUSE ME?!" she shrieked loudly, horrified.

Draco's stoic expression broke and he suddenly laughed loudly. "Aww, come on, Beaver. You know I was just joking."

"You… you…" And then suddenly, Hermione was playfully punching him, cheeks still red. A scowl was adorning her face while she continued her assault. "You… _You bloody ferret_!" she exclaimed.

"All right, all right," he said, calming down. He clutched both of her hands and wrapped them around his neck. He pulled her against him and playfully ruffled her hair. "I was just joking, Hermione. Why are you so riled up?"

"That was not funny," she muttered, her head leaning against his right shoulder.

"Really now?" he asked, a small smile still playing on his lips. Inside his mind, though, he was mentally beating himself. _'That was a nice one, Draco 'Ferret' Malfoy!'_ he scolded himself. _'Make the rumors true? MAKE THE RUMORS TRUE? Oh Merlin, what has gotten into me?'_ He was thankful that he was hugging the said brunette so that she wouldn't see his glowing, red face.

He had a feeling, though, that he had screwed everything up again. He had had a chance. It had been blatantly staring at him. He should have confessed to her that he was so madly in love with her after seriously telling her to make the rumors about them true.

Draco Malfoy was really a coward.

And again, Draco Malfoy had let his chance slip through his fingertips.

**

* * *

**The Malfoy heir twirled his quill around, a thoughtful look found on his face while staring at Hermione's list of goals. _Again._

He was currently in the huge kitchen of the Malfoy Manor. Surprisingly, no house-elves were hustling and bustling because his dear mother had given them a day-off. His father thoroughly protested but Narcissa's stubbornness had paid off.

So now, his grumbling father was seated across from him, looking bored as he watched his wife doing the hustling and bustling.

"Coffee, anyone?" Narcissa cheerfully asked.

Both men grunted in response.

Draco still couldn't believe that his mother made all of their house-elves have a day-off. Now, they were suffering, especially the female Malfoy since she had to do all of the house chores. Though, strangely, Narcissa was happy doing the job by herself. The blond had a feeling that the reason why the Malfoy Manor, for the first time in history, had no house-elves at all was because Narcissa had finally submitted to Hermione's request.

He scowled. _'Stupid spew,'_ he muttered to himself, sipping his hot coffee. He flinched, though, when he felt the small welt on his right arm. He had clumsily bumped against his huge wardrobe in his own home after slipping slightly. It was strange, though, because he normally never received small bumps from a slight accident.

"What happened to your arm, darling?" Narcissa exclaimed, examining Draco's right arm. "This looks absolutely horrible."

"Don't overreact, Mother," Draco grumbled, rolling his eyes towards his father. "It's just a small bump. It was my fault. I was just clumsy. With a swish of my wand, it will be gone. So don't worry anymore." Mothers. They were really so melodramatic.

Narcissa calmed down and sat down beside her son. She observed the blond silently, his eyes now gazing down on the parchment clutched tightly in his right hand. A small smile slowly graced her beautiful face. "I've read the latest edition of _Witch Weekly_, dear. And I must say that was an adorable picture. When did you and Hermione go there?"

Draco scowled at the same time his father did. "Not you, too, Mother. Where did you get that copy?" he said exasperatedly. "I burnt_ all_ of them."

"Oh, honey. You don't want your mother to see it?" she asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Why not?"

The blond only rolled his eyes.

"Did Hermione see it?" she asked eagerly.

Draco nodded, his cheeks reddening slightly.

"And how did she react?" she asked. At the corner of the blond's eyes, he could see Lucius curious look.

He sighed. "She was upset," he simply said with a nonchalant shrug.

Narcissa dropped her jaw ungracefully. Lucius, ever observant, tutted disapprovingly. "Upset?" she asked, breathless. "That must have hurt, dear! How are you feeling now? Are you quite all right? Does your heart hurt so badly? I can give a potion which one of my best friends gave me. She said it can soothe someone's broken heart and…"

"Mother!" the blond exclaimed, blushing furiously. "Why the bloody hell would I feel hurt?" he asked.

"Language, Draco," she sternly told him. She clucked her tongue thoughtfully and placed a hand on her son's arm. "Dearest, why don't you just spit it out!"

"Spit what out?" Lucius asked incredulously, talking for the first time. He had never heard his wife say those kinds of things. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. _'Maybe that Granger girl is really doing something to both of them,'_ he told himself in his mind.

"Yes, spit it out!" Narcissa exclaimed, gesticulating her arms wildly. "I mean, honey, aren't you alarmed or… or troubled of the fact that Hermione's _absolutely_ gorgeous! If I am twenty-five-years-old right now, I would envy her so much. Too bad I'm older… But, that's not the point. The point is, aren't you afraid that one day, some random guy will sweep her off of her feet and will steal her away from you?"

"Mother, you know very well that Hermione has refused all of her suitors," the blond reminded her. "And so, I have to assume that she'll refuse me, too."

"Draco," Narcissa said in a motherly tone. Her features softened as she gazed at her son sadly. "Don't you dare lose hope." To the blond's horror, her mother pulled the necklace out from under his shirt. "See, you even have an engagement ring for her."

"How did you…" he asked, wide-eyed. He looked at his father but he, too, had a knowing look on his face.

Mrs. Malfoy moved closer to her son and placed a comforting kiss on his forehead. "Honey, I know you love Hermione. I just don't know how much." She tucked the necklace back into its original position. "I have never seen you like this before. Ask your Father; he will agree with me, too."

Draco looked back at his father but Lucius' face was expressionless.

"You are so happy now… so full of life," she continued. "And believe us, Draco, we are happy for you, too. Hermione Granger is the best thing that has ever happened to you and for that, I thank her. I am aware of the fact that we took you for granted when you were still a child. I am aware that we never showed you the proper care parents should have shown to their child. And as I watch you grow older, I regretted it, son. I didn't like the fact that you are shutting yourself from the world just because we shut you from our lives."

"But the Dark Lord was rising in that time, dear. Your father… was feeling quite confused at that time." Draco noticed the look of shame and guilt that flashed onto Lucius' face. "I confess that I was too worried for your father's safety rather than yours, darling. But see, we've changed."

She then sniffed daintily as she pulled her surprised son into a gentle hug. "Tell her, Draco, before it's too late," she begged him softly. "I know how you feel… But Hermione is_ dying_. Oh, I still cannot believe it. So, please tell her before she… she _dies_. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," the blond said.

"What lovely advice," Lucius sarcastically butted in. "Want a round of applause? I might give a standing ovation, too, my dear wife."

"Oh, keep quiet, darling," Narcissa said, hurtling Lucius one of her infamous glares. Actually, Lucius was the only one who was immune to it. Draco just chuckled and shook his head. His parents were really so… so _cute_ as what his brunette best friend had once described them.

"What's written on that parchment, Draco?" Narcissa suddenly asked, eyes staring.

Instantly, Draco felt awkward. "Um… well," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "Hermione made a list… _'11 Things I Want to Do Before I Die'_." He saw the amused looks on both of his parents. "And, well, she already fulfilled her eleventh to sixth goals. And now, I'm thinking of how to accomplish her fifth goal."

Narcissa eye's misted. "That's so sweet, honey."

"Really, Narcissa," Lucius said, rolling his eyes.

Mrs. Malfoy chose to ignore her husband. Instead, she asked, "So, what's her fifth, hmm?"

"Well, she wants a song to be dedicated to her," he simply said.

"That's so easy!" Narcissa exclaimed. "Just sing her favorite song in front of a large crowd. That will be so romantic!"

Draco made a face. "_I'm_ going to sing? Mother, she perfectly told me that a banshee would be envious of my singing voice."

Lucius snorted.

"Ah, ignore your father," Narcissa said, glaring at Lucius once again. "And, why do you care if your voice isn't that lovely, honey? At least she would have accomplished her fifth goal. But first, do you know her favorite song?"

"Yes," the blond said, looking thoughtful. "There's this particular melody that keeps on playing from Hermione's music box. I just recently discovered that it has some lyrics."

"Perfect," Narcissa said, smiling widely. "Now, all you need to do is bring her to an expensive restaurant." Her face turned thoughtful. "Now, where should you bring her?"

"I know a place," Lucius suddenly offered. Narcissa and Draco looked at him incredulously. "What?" he asked innocently.

"That'd be nice, Father," Draco said, a large smile on his face while his mother kissed Lucius cheek. "So, where's this place?"

**

* * *

**Hermione's eyes moved under her eyelids. She gently stirred as she faintly heard some music playing. The brunette, about to wake up, frowned. _'How come there's music in my room?'_ she asked herself. _'I've never had a radio in my room except for my music box. And… and humming? Who the hell is humming?'_

The brunette started to panic. Her head ended painfully bumping against a window and instantly, she snapped her eyes open. The only difference, though, was that she couldn't see a thing at all.

"I CAN'T SEE!" she shrieked loudly, alarmed. _'Is this a symptom?'_ she asked herself. _'Is blindness one of lung cancer's symptoms? It's lung cancer, damn it! My eyes are far from my bloody lungs!'_ Hermione released a soft cry of terror. _'Oh God! What if… what if my cancer scattered and now affected my sense of sight?! Or worse! What if it's in my brain?!'_

And then suddenly, she stopped. She heard the familiar snicker of her blond best friend. Instantly, it clicked. She was in his car, riding shotgun while the blond drove as if it was the most natural thing in the whole wide world. "Malfoy…" she hissed.

"Of course you can't see, Granger," the blond said.

"Is this some kind of a practical joke, Draco?" the brunette growled. "It's not yet April Fool's, for heaven's sake. And I'm telling you, THIS IS NOT FUNNY AT ALL!"

"Calm down, Hermione, okay?" Draco said, looking at her amusedly, though of course, Hermione couldn't see it. "I charmed your eyes to temporarily be blind. I just have a surprise for you."

The brunette snorted. "Surprise my feet," she spat. "You very well know I hate surprises, Ferret. And hello, you could have at least blindfolded me or something. Why temporarily blind me?!"

"Ah, I know you too well, Granger," Draco said, tutting softly. "I knew for sure that you would have removed the blindfold as soon as possible."

Hermione groped for her wand inside her pocket but to her horror, it wasn't there.

"Oh, and to be safe, I confiscated your wand," he said. Hermione wanted to pound him into powder. The nerve of this man! He even sounded smug!

"Give. Me. My. Wand."

"Or what?"

"Malfoy, I'm warning you!" she snarled. Draco just sighed. "Make me see again! DAMN IT! I thought the cancer had spread and reached my eyes or brain...OOF!"

The blond suddenly stepped on the brakes and Hermione banged her forehead painfully. She scowled while rubbing it, face turned towards the driver's seat to glare at the blond. "What did you do that for?"

"We're here," he said. Hermione knew instantly that he was gritting his teeth. The brunette sighed in defeat.

**

* * *

**Draco opened the door of the wizard store his mother had recommended, Chanel. He had once seen this store in one of Hermione's fashion magazine (which surprised him since he never thought before that Hermione would own one) and he honestly thought that it was only a Muggle store. He was astonished to hear his mother say that some brilliant witch (he honestly forgot the name) thought of making a Chanel store, wizard version.

So now, the blond was gently dragging a stubborn, temporarily blind brunette behind him. "Granger, cut it out, please," he said.

"Make me see again," the brunette seethed.

"No," the blond stubbornly said.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy!" Draco's head snapped up and instantly, his eyes landed on a chubby woman, probably in her mid-thirties, giving him a warm smile. The blond noticed she had a great fashion sense. "It's nice to see you."

The blond just nodded his head. Instantly, more women started to appear and stood beside the woman.

"I'm Mrs. Rickets," she said, stretching out her right hand. "Manager of this branch."

Draco shook her hand. "Yes, yes, it's nice to see you." He then pulled Hermione in front of him. Some woman clucked their tongue, criticizing Hermione's fashion under their breath. Some even admired her simple beauty. "Doll her up," he demanded. "I'll be right back. Be sure to be finished before 6:00 pm."

"Malfoy, it's still early," Hermione mumbled under her breath. "And _doll me up_? What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Well, for your information, Beaver, you slept in," he said, eyes trained on his watch. "It's already 2:00 pm. And, _doll you up_ means to dress you and put some whatsoevers on your face. Seriously, are you a girl or what?"

"WHAT?!" she shrieked. Almost all of the witches in the field of fashion flinched and glared at the brunette for being quite unlady-like. "Take me home, Draco! Please! I want to go home!"

The blond shook his head at the brunette's childish behavior. He wrapped his arms around her waist and placed his mouth beside her ears. "Come on, Hermione. Do this for me," the blond whispered. Hermione was now frowning. "I know you hate surprises but I swear, once you discover it, you'll be delighted." He then pulled away from the brunette and gave her to Mrs. Rickets' arms. "Please do take care of her." And with that, he apparated.

**

* * *

**Draco lounged on one of the plush couches in the store. He was wearing a black tuxedo, making him look more handsome then his usual stunning self. His hair was slicked back just like it normally was during his Hogwarts years. His eyes were scanning another magazine, criticizing something hither-thither.

"OW, DAMN IT!"

The blond flinched. Hermione had been inside a room with the fashion designers and make-up artists for hours now. The brunette would occasionally scream or curse or both. Draco smiled. He knew Hermione hated him now.

He sighed and closed the magazine. All was turning out like he had planned. He had slipped a sleeping potion in Hermione's tea last night, which wore off just after lunch today. In the morning, Draco had apparated to her house, temporarily blinded her, and put her in his car. He had then taken Hermione to the Chanel store and trusted her to the witches to make her decent yet beautiful for their _friendly_ date tonight.

Draco mentally thanked his parents, especially Lucius, for at least helping him. The blond had apparated to the expensive restaurant, _La Fleur_ (which meant 'The Flower'), and for him, the restaurant was the best place for him to fulfill Hermione's fifth goal.

He grabbed another magazine from the top of the coffee table, feeling quite bored.

Soon, he was dozing off. His head had just dropping down when without warning, the door burst open. Surprised, Draco sat up still. He had a feeling that if a ruler was placed behind his back, it would be perfectly straight.

Mrs. Rickets was the first one who emerged from the room. She was wearing a huge, proud smile on her face. Draco immediately felt curious. What would Hermione Granger look like? Soon, the other fashion designers and make-up artists joined Mrs. Rickets. All of them, Draco noticed, were also wearing huge, proud smiles on their faces.

"Mr. Malfoy," the manager said cheerily, "may I present to you, Miss Hermione Granger."

One witch went out, clutching the still blind brunette's hand. And immediately, Draco's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

Each witch exchange knowing looks.

"Mr. Malfoy?" Mrs. Rickets asked, a small smirk adorning her chubby face.

The blond blushed and stood up, banging his knee against the coffee table in the process. He released whispered, colorful words as he limped towards the brunette.

"Draco?" the brunette asked, stretching her arms in front of her. The blond immediately clutched both of her hands. "Are you all right?"

"Fine, fine," he said, still quite breathless.

"What do you think, Mr. Malfoy?" Mrs. Rickets asked, smirking at the Malfoy heir.

Draco looked at her and meekly nodded. He didn't trust himself to speak.

He looked back at the brunette and observed her from head to toe. Her hair was tied up into a loose bun, loose tendrils framing her face. Make-up was visible, though not thick, thankfully. And then her dress… It was as if it was perfectly made just for her. It was a red, halter dress that ended Just a few inches below her knees. The hem of the dress was full of ruffles, making it look more beautiful. On her right wrist was a diamond bracelet which was identical with the necklace worn around her neck.

"Th-there's" – he cleared his throat – "there's still something missing." He pulled out his wand from his pocket and conjured a red rose without any thorns. He charmed it to be everlasting. Draco then took a few steps forward and then slowly tucked the rose into Hermione's bun.

Draco looked at Mrs. Rickets for approval and thankfully, the manager nodded her head. "Perfect," she clapped. The other witches joined her and applauded.

Hermione was now blushing furiously. She had no idea why Draco blinded her and brought her to the hands of the witches who just did things to her body. But she was sure her look right now might be… acceptable.

Her nose twitched slightly. "My face feels so itchy, Ferret!" she whined, making a move to scratch her face but Mrs. Rickets swatted it away.

"Don't you dare," the manager threatened, making Hermione scowl. "We worked hard for that."

Draco snickered and took hold of Hermione's wrist. "She's right, you know," he said. "And stop whining, for heaven's sake, Beaver! You're twenty-five-years-old."

"Look who's talking," she spat back, remembering the times when Draco would whine about this and that.

The blond then looked at Mrs. Rickets and smiled genuinely. "Thank you, Mrs. Rickets," he said. "Thank you for putting up with her, even though she tends to be too stubborn for her own good."

"Hey!" the brunette protested. "I heard that, Malfoy!"

"You were supposed to," the blond shot back.

Mrs. Rickets just softly laughed and waved a hand. "It's a pleasure dolling her up, Mr. Malfoy," she said. "I like challenges, after all. And she's one."

Draco just smiled and gently pulled Hermione. "I'll pay you later," he said.

"No need, dear," she said. "Mrs. Malfoy already paid."

"Really?" he asked, surprised. When Mrs. Rickets nodded, Draco made a mental note to thank his mother. "Okay then. Thank you, once again."

And with that, he pulled the brunette to his car.

**

* * *

**"Aren't you going to talk to me?" the blond asked, looking at the beautiful brunette in the corner of his eyes.

Hermione, still temporarily blind, crossed her arms against her chest. "Not until you lift the spell and tell me where we are going," she muttered.

"You just talked to me," he pointed out, smirking. Hermione only scowled in return. "Look Hermione, can you please stop acting like a child for a few seconds. And be patient please. You'll soon - ."

"_Boy I hear you in my dreams. I feel your whisper, across the sea_," the brunette suddenly sang, singing along with the music in his car.

" – you'll be pleasantly surprised, all right. Just - "

" – _Lucky to be coming home again_ - "

" – being so stubborn then you'll be more tolerable, Beaver - "

" – _I'll put a flower in your hair_ - "

" – appreciate what I'm doing to you - "

" – _You hold me right here, right now_ - "

" – and you should… STOP SINGING, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!" Draco suddenly hollered, turning off the stereo.

Hermione was seething. "I swear, Draco Malfoy, if you don't take me back to my apartment, I'm going to end the Malfoy line with you," she threatened.

"Oh boo hoo, I'm so scared, Granger," the blond spat back sarcastically.

The brunette groped for the lock of the car door and pulled it up. Draco, horrified to what she was planning, immediately charmed the car door to lock magically. Discovering this, Hermione released a small wail.

"I want to go home!" she exclaimed. "I'm so _damn_ tired today, Malfoy. I want to go home!"

"Granger, _please_!" he shouted back. He pulled the car to a stop, finally arriving at their destination. "I planned all of this. The least you can do is to appreciate what I'm doing."

Hermione released a sigh and rubbed the bridge of her nose while her eyes were closed. "Is this part of my list?"

Draco only answered with silence.

"_Silence means yes_," she quoted in a whisper before hearing Draco opening his car door. He immediately jogged to the other side and opened the car door for Hermione. He clutched her right hand and helped her up.

"I hear sounds," she said, her face scrunching up.

Draco snorted and gave the key to some worker of the restaurant to park his beloved car. "Of course you hear sounds, Granger," he said. "I made you _blind_ not_ deaf_."

"Don't start," she said, releasing a huge breath. Draco led her towards the entrance of _La Fleur _and then stopped to an abrupt halt.

"Come on, Granger. Smile," he persuaded her.

Her lips twitched, forming into a feral grin. "Merlin, Granger, you'll scare a child! Make it decent!"

To his surprise, Hermione lowered her head. She slowly looked up through her eyelashes and gently batted her eyes, a small seductive smile growing on her face.

Draco suddenly needed cold water.

"Smile, Hermione. I didn't say seduce," he said. Thank God she couldn't see him.

She scowled darkly. "Are you going to let me see now?" she demanded.

"You can ask nicely," he spat.

"Oh, go jump off a building," she retorted back. "Now, are you going to let me see or not?"

He made an angry noise. "Congratulations, Granger, you can now jump for joy," he snarled, pulling out his wand.

"You're mad at me," Hermione pointed out.

"I'm not," he grumbled under his breath.

"Yes you are."

"I'm not playing this childish game, Hermione," he said then waved his wand in front of her eyes. At first, Hermione saw different kinds of colors instead of black and then, her surroundings.

Finally, she could see.

Hermione sighed in relief. Being blind was no joke. Not at all. She then looked at Draco and was surprised to see that he was wearing a tuxedo. She looked down at her body and was surprised, too, to see that she was wearing a red dress she wouldn't even think of wearing.

Frowning, she looked back to her best friend and sighed. "All right, I'm sorry," she said.

Draco looked at her sideways. "Apology accepted," he said.

"You're still mad!" she whined.

"No, no, I said I accepted your apology," he said, face softening.

Hermione still looked suspicious.

His face then contorted into exasperation. "Merlin, Granger!" he exclaimed. "Why can't I stay mad at you for a whole year? My life would have been easier just like our Hogwarts years!"

Hermione gave him a charming smile and kissed his right cheek. "Because I'm your best friend and you can't live without me," she said.

"Unfortunately, that's the truth," he said. "I cannot believe I'm still attached to you, Hermione."

The brunette just gave him a smile.

"Malfoy. Table for two," the blond said to one of the waiters. He scanned this little list before nodding and beckoning them to follow him.

Follow him they did and soon, they found themselves seated at a table.

**

* * *

**"Care to dance?" Hermione offered, her right hand stretched towards the blond.

Draco scowled at her. "You very well know I hate dancing, Hermione," he said.

The brunette rolled her eyes. "My butt aches, Malfoy," she pointed out. "I don't want to sit around the whole time we are here in the restaurant while I wait for your _pleasant_ surprise. We might as well do something else like dancing. If not, I'm going home."

The blond groaned and grasped Hermione's right hand. She smiled at him and pulled him towards the dance floor. She placed her hand on his shoulder while the other gripped his hand. Draco's free hand placed itself on the brunette's waist.

Hermione already liked this restaurant, _La Fleur_ she soon discovered. The dishes were delicious and all. But, her most favorite was the fact that a person was serenading all of them. A man, about his mid-twenties, was strumming his guitar (which surprised Hermione since this was a wizard restaurant) while he sang with that lovely voice of his.

Draco, on the other hand, suddenly became alarmed. Eyes were glued intently on both of them, most especially to the brunette held tightly in his arms. He groaned.

Bloody rivals.

He twirled her around, noticing the curious look she was shooting him. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Hermione, try not to look too gorgeous for your own good next time," he whispered to her, giving every man in the room a warning look. "If you want to find yourself a dignified woman before you die, please follow my advice."

Hermione scoffed and looked at him strangely, overlooking the fact that he just commented that she was gorgeous. "Hello, Draco? Who forced me into this damnable, uncomfortable dress?" she asked. When the blond gave her a sheepish smile, she rolled her eyes. "See? So stop complaining there."

Suddenly, someone tapped Draco's shoulder. He looked at the intruder and glared.

"Can I borrow her?" he asked, pointing at Hermione. The brunette blushed slightly and smiled.

"No," he simply said, pulling her closer to himself. "She's mine."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Don't be silly, Draco," she said. She then looked at the man and smiled. "Don't worry, he really meant 'yes'. We were just playing 'opposite day' today." She pulled away from the protesting blond into the man's awaiting arms. "Be good, Ferret. I'll see you later."

Draco growled and turned on his heel, stomping away from the dance floor. He felt that it was time to do her fifth goal already.

"Your boyfriend is jealous," he pointed out.

Hermione laughed. "He's not my boyfriend," she corrected. "He's my best friend."

"Oh," he said. "In that case, my name is Andrew Mortell." He waited for Hermione's hand to shake his.

The brunette grasped his hand and shook it. "Hello Andrew. My name is Hermione Granger," she greeted.

"Ah, a lovely name for a lovely lady," he complimented, placing a kiss on the brunette's knuckles.

Hermione blushed while she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you," she timidly said.

"You're welcome," he said, flashing her a charming smile. He then placed a hand behind her back and started to dance with her. "Hmm… Hermione Granger? That rings a bell."

The brunette merely smiled.

"Oh, you're Harry Potter's best friend!" he exclaimed, failing to notice Hermione's tensed look. "It's nice to finally see the Hermione Granger." He pulled her flush against his body, making the brunette shocked. "So, how was it to fight You-Know-Who? Was it scary? Tiring? _Exciting_? I mean, you're no ordinary witch, I see."

Hermione was feeling slightly awkward with their close proximity. And his hand was _dangerously_ close to her rear end. Maybe Draco was right after all. She shouldn't make herself too gorgeous for her own good if she wanted to die as a dignified woman.

" – oh, and I owned a large branch of hotels in the Wizarding World," he babbled. Hermione distinctly remembered Andrew Mortell's face flashing on Witch Weekly's cover page last year. "Hailed as the most Eligible Bachelor of 2004." She was right and his hand was moving lower! He suddenly leaned closer to the brunette, his mouth a few inches from her ears. "So which house? Yours or mine?"

That was it. Hermione pushed him away from her, a disgusted look on her beautiful face. Andrew looked shocked. The brunette presumed that no woman had ever done that to him. _'Good,'_ she thought. "Keep your hands to yourself, Mister Mortell. And yes, I'm _the_ Hermione Granger who also fought against Voldemort (Andrew flinched) and I know more spells than you do." Her face contorted into anger. "If I were you, I would treat every woman I meet with respect." She sneered at him, almost Draco-like. "You disgust me."

She turned on her heel and walked away from the startled young man. Hermione sighed, still feeling quite freaked out. She had to find Draco so that he could comfort her (or even punch that perverted man for her! She wouldn't protest. Not at all).

Hermione looked around, seeking his familiar blond head. But where was he? She couldn't see him at all.

"Good evening to all of you," the man who was serenading them suddenly said. "I'm pleased to observe that almost all of you are enjoying your evening."

Murmurs of agreement erupted, followed by polite applause.

"Now, I had this special request from a certain someone and…" He paused as he looked at a torn parchment on his hands. "This song is dedicated to… Miss Hermione Granger!"

The restaurant suddenly dimmed and a spotlight hit a stunned brunette.

"Ah, gorgeous!" he exclaimed. "Please, let us all give her a round of applause."

The crowd obeyed and clapped, admiring the surprised, beautiful brunette.

Hermione grew red, as red as her dress, and smiled shyly.

"Miss Granger, this is for you," he said. Soon, he was strumming his guitar. Hermione's eyes widened. She recognized that song! She broke into a smile. Her fifth goal was already happening. The brunette anticipated the singer to say the lyrics so she could sing along when suddenly, another spotlight appeared, this time focusing on the stage. To Hermione's astonishment, Draco was standing on the stage while holding a microphone.

_I wanna make you smile whenever you're sad__  
Carry your around when you're arthritis is bad  
All I wanna do is grow old with you_

A collective 'awws' were heard in the crowd as the blond charmingly smiled, singing even though it was off-key.

_I'll get your medicine when your tummy aches__  
Build you a fire if the furnace breaks  
Oh it could be so nice, growin' old with you_

Hermione's eyes misted as she continued to listen to him sing. She chuckled softly under her breath because he was very obviously tone-deaf. And then, she started to run upstage, the spotlight following her.

_I'll miss you, kiss you, give you my coat when you are cold.  
Need you, feed you, and even let you hold the remote control._

Draco watched her as she cried. She stumbled into his arms and hugged him tightly. He smiled and nodded to the singer who continued the song.

"That was my fifth goal!" she sobbed, face buried on his shoulder.

"I know," he said, smiling. He was feeling proud of himself for another accomplishment.

"That was the song playing in my music box!"

"I know, too." He wrapped his arms around the brunette and kissed the top of her head.

_So let me do the dishes in our kitchen sink__  
Put you to bed when you've had too much to drink  
Oh I could be the man who grows old with you_

"How did you know the lyrics to that song?" she asked, demanding an answer.

His smile grew. "Ever heard of the word 'research', Beaver?" he asked.

Slowly, Hermione looked up at him and for the umpteenth time, Draco was rendered speechless. As tears trailed down from her eyes (thank Merlin her make-up was bewitched so that only magic could remove it), it made her ten times more beautiful.

Their noses were slightly touching. "Why do you…" the brunette gasped, breathless. "Why do you always make me cry?" Before Draco could even retort back an answer, Hermione closed her eyes and kissed him straight on the lips.

Draco stiffened as he felt her lips moving against his. He was too surprised to even respond. That might have snapped Hermione back to her senses since she pulled away almost immediately, eyes wide because of horror. She took a few steps back from the blond, untangling her arms from his neck.

Before she could even completely step away from him, Draco grabbed her arm and pulled her flush against him. Without any second thought, he bent down and kissed Hermione again.

This time, both were responding.

Applause erupted around the restaurant once the singer had done singing. Down the stage, Andrew Mortell had a curious look on his face. _'I thought he wasn't her boyfriend?'_ he asked himself.

Surprised with the sudden noise, Draco and Hermione pulled away from each other, both mirroring the same expression.

**

* * *

**"Why did you kiss me?" the blond demanded, feeling quite determined. He needed to know.

Hermione turned a furious shade of red and bit her bottom lip. She refused to answer him.

"Granger, I'm asking you. _Why did you kiss me_?" Draco was now seething, his fists clenched tightly on top of their table.

The brunette sighed and turned away from him, her eyes landing on a nearby full-length mirror. She hadn't seen her look at all and so, she was surprised at her appearance. Truly, she was acceptable… hell, she was _beautiful._ No wonder that Mortell guy disrespected her.

"WHY DID YOU - !"

"Shhh!" Hermione exclaimed, eyes roaming around the room wildly. She conjured a ballpoint pen and grabbed a nearby tissue paper. Draco watched her curiously as she scribbled down on it furiously.

After she was done, Hermione gave him the tissue paper and the pen mutely.

_Will you keep it down? You're going to attract more attention!_

Rolling his eyes, Draco scribbled down on the tissue paper, too. He shoved it towards the brunette furiously. Honestly, he really wasn't angry with her. He was just… confused. Why did she kiss him?

_Why did you kiss me?_

Hermione scoffed and wrote down her reply on the tissue paper.

_**You **__kissed me, too, for your information, Malfoy._

Frustrated with her reply, Draco made an angry noise while writing.

_Just answer my question, damn it! Look at what you did, Granger. People think we are a __**couple**__._

Hermione blushed with his reply and looked around wildly. Indeed, people in the restaurant were eyeing them with interest. One old woman even nodded her head and raised a goblet of wine for congratulations, making her blush redder. Her eye caught Mortell's and she glared, eyes immediately returning to the tissue paper.

_I don't honestly know, Draco. It was just you dedicated a song for me and thus, completing my fifth goal. And, I dunno, I was overwhelmed by emotion? _(Draco frowned at the little question mark)_ And there, I kiss you._

The blond wasn't satisfied with her answer. Not at all. He flipped the tissue paper since he didn't have any space to write anymore.

_That answered my question… _(he saw Hermione's eye roll) _Nice try, Hermione, I won't buy that. Now, WHY DID YOU KISS ME!_

Hermione glared at him before snatching the ball pen from him. She clicked the ballpoint pen and scribbled on it furiously.

_Look, Draco Malfoy, why don't we __**just forget it**__, all right? I kissed you, fine. But __**you**__ kissed me, too! Do you have an answer to that?_

Draco growled and crumpled the tissue paper. He placed it inside his pocket and glared at Hermione. "Fine, I don't know why I did it," he said, crossing his arms against his chest.

The brunette sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I'm sorry, I didn't know why I did it, too," she softly said. "It was just… that was… that was the sweetest thing a man has ever done in my life." Hermione looked away from him, a blush staining both of her cheeks. She didn't see the reddening of Draco's cheeks.

"You know, you're right," he said after a few minutes of awkward silence. "Let's just forget it. It's harmless. It didn't mean anything at all, right?" Draco swallowed. To say that was harder than he had ever imagined.

Hermione gave him a smile. "Right, it didn't mean anything," she said. She released a sigh of relief. "Goodness, that was awkward. I swear that won't happen anymore."

Draco pursed his lips and nodded.

**

* * *

**Hermione was now seated on her favorite swiveling chair in her room. Draco took her home a few minutes after their agreement and truly, the brunette was dead tired. She had changed out of the beautiful, red dress into her usual white tank top and shorts. She didn't dare touch her hair first since she had liked its style.

Now, she was absentmindedly brushing the tip of her quill against her chin. She was thoughtfully looking at her notebook… the notebook where her list was written. She had checked her fifth goal now that it was accomplished and wrote a small note beside it.

She was looking at her goals eleventh to fifth. The notes were scribbled neatly beside them.

_Eleventh goal: Draco brought me to Felicity's birthday party. WATER GUN WAR! I angered Draco but it was worth it. I became a child again._

_Tenth goal: Draco made me a tree house… in his backyard. UNBELIEVABLE. Though, it was beautiful. :)_

_Ninth goal: Draco took the liberty to bring my completed book to a publishing company. He BRIBED the owner, how sweet of him. My book's an instant best seller._

_Eighth goal: I can't believe Draco took me to the ice skating rink at Happy Land Amusement Park. And he bribed a worker, BRIBED him just so that the ice skating rink would be open for only the two of us._

_Seventh goal: Draco brought me to Happy Land Amusement Park Again. Got caught and pulled to a marriage booth by a good-looking guy. Draco got KISSED by an annoying girl. He told me I'm like a little sister to him and DEMANDED me to spend the rest of my days with him and only him. How sweet._

_Sixth goal: Draco__** forced**__ me to ride on a broomstick. Draco __**forced**__ me to ride a bicycle. Now he knows about Danny and the scar on the side of my stomach._

_Fifth goal: Ferret blinded me and brought me to witches who dolled me up. Met a perverted pig. Draco sang me __**Grow Old With You**__ and, well, we kissed._

Hermione licked her lips after she finished rereading her fifth goal. _We kissed._ It surprised her that that had happened. She didn't know what had possessed her to press her lips against his. It was just… she thought it was quite perfect for the moment.

She sighed in frustration. It was just… Draco was so handsome in that tuxedo and well, she was beautiful and then he sung her the song playing in her music box and it was… perfect. Everything was perfect.

And so, she kissed him.

On the lips.

The brunette groaned. _'Great, I can't wait to see the latest edition of _Witch Weekly_!_' she thought sarcastically, knowing that the cover page might have their picture while kissing and some bloody statement about it.

Sighing, she then looked at her first goal. So far, all of her goals that she had accomplished made her satisfied. And, she also noticed that all of them were accomplished by her _together _with Draco Malfoy.

Hermione bit her bottom lip. Hesitantly, she pressed the tip of the quill on the parchment just beside number one. Clucking her tongue in frustration, she wrote it. Officially, she already had her goal number one. She just didn't know if Draco would be involved in accomplishing it, too.

She then released a wide yawn. She threw her arms up into the air to stretch. Her hands the landed on her hair to let it down again. She honestly was sorry for doing it. And then, she clutched the red rose that Draco had tucked into it. Hermione pulled it out before removing the ties and pins buried in her hair. She ran a hand through her hair while staring at the red rose.

The brunette smelled it, smiling as soon as she discovered that it was still fragrant. Draco had charmed it to be everlasting. She fingered the petals and sighed. Yawning again, Hermione placed the rose in between the pages of her notebook before standing up from her swiveling chair.

She lied down on her bed, pulled her stuffed toy ferret closer to her chest, and fell asleep. The last thing that was on her mind was Draco's lips pressed against hers.

**

* * *

****Disclaimer: I do not own the songs 'Lucky' by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat and 'Grow Old With You' by Adam Sandler.**

**A/N: Aww, sweet chapter, eh? And see, I made them kiss! Now, for my reward, reviews! Thanks to my beta reader, once again. Kisses and hugs to all of you! :D**


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight: Of Little Kids and Monsters**

_  
4. I want to make a child happy._

_DING DONG!_

Hermione groaned and stirred on her couch. Last night, she had indulged in a movie marathon all by herself (Draco was not with her; he was busy with his Healer duties) and had dozed off after watching the ninth movie. She was too tired to trudge up to her bedroom and so she just chose to sleep on her couch.

_DING DONG!_

The brunette groaned again, this time snapping her eyes open. "It's still too early!" she moaned, begrudgingly sitting up on her couch. She ran a hand through her hair, grabbed her red robe and wrapped it around her. She slipped her feet into her fluffy, bed slippers and dragged herself towards the door. Softly, she grumbled and cursed the intruder. "Bloody impatient person… still too early!" she grumbled.

Rubbing sleep out of her eyes, Hermione opened her door. Lo and behold, there stood Draco Malfoy.

She scowled upon seeing him. "Merlin, Malfoy you should have apparated inside," she snapped before releasing a wide yawn.

"I woke you up, I see," he said, smirking at her bed head.

"That's right, Captain Obvious," she grumbled, making a move to shut the door in front of his face. "Now, piss off and leave me alone."

"Language, woman," he tutted, wagging a finger in front of the grouchy brunette. "There's a child watching."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. Her eyes landed on the little, cute, blonde girl currently standing beside her doorframe, one small hand tightly clutching the older blond's. Her eyes widened as she stared back at the child. "MY GOD, Draco! Why didn't you tell me you had a daughter?!"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Silly Granger," he said, ruffling the brunette's brown tresses. He looked down at the shy little kid and patted her blonde hair. "Don't worry, kiddo. She's just being dramatic, okay?"

"Draco…"

"She's not my daughter, all right," he said, eyes snapping back at the suspicious brunette.

"Then who is she? Why is she here?" she asked, looking at the child frantically.

The blond tilted his head to the right. "Shame on you, Hermione," he said, shaking his head. "You do not know her?" Draco looked at the child sadly. "Sorry Sophie, your mother doesn't know you at all." When Draco looked back at Hermione, he smirked, getting the reaction that he had hoped to achieve.

"MOTHER?!" she exclaimed. The little child, Sophie, flinched and hid herself behind the older blond. Hermione's eyes widened. "SHE IS NOT MY DAUGHTER! I'M STILL A VIRGIN, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!" Some of her neighbors opened their doors and looked at Hermione's apartment curiously.

The Malfoy heir shook with laughter. "Christ, woman, you didn't have to shout at the top of your lungs that you've never slept with a guy," he pointed out in between laughs.

"You ferret!" Hermione growled, making a move to attack the still laughing blond. She immediately stopped once hearing a small whimper coming from behind him. Her eyes immediately landed on little Sophie who stared back at her with frightful eyes.

"Look at what you did," the blond said, shaking his head. He carried the frightened girl in his arms. "She's frightened."

Hermione opened and closed her mouth, not knowing what to say. "It's… it's your fault," she spat back at the blond, horrified that Sophie had started to cry. "I… Merlin, please don't cry!"

Draco was laughing again. "There, there, kiddo," he said. "She's really a monster in disguise. Don't come near her at all, okay? She eats little children." His statement did nothing to calm the wailing child and Sophie just cried harder.

"I do not!" the indignant brunette exclaimed. She was starting to panic because of the little girl. "And stop putting silly ideas in the girl's mind, Draco!"

"See… she's becoming a monster now," he said, ignoring her best friend. He shot her a smirk which made Hermione more furious.

"Oh, shut up," she growled, noticing the fact that the little girl buried her head on Draco's right shoulder. "Why the hell is she even here? Why do you have a child with you, Malfoy? And don't you dare lie to me again. I swear I really should do the world a favor and the end the Malfoy line with you! I should have done that the time you blinded me!"

"All right, all right, calm down, calm down," he said, patting the crying blonde's hair. "No need to get so worked up, Hermione."

"How can I not get worked up when you're playing stupid tricks on me?" she retorted. "My God, it's not even April Fool's Day! And you woke me up just to make yourself entertained. It's not funny anymore!" She made a move to slam the door in front of the blond's face but he stopped her.

"Fine, I'm sorry," he said, stepping through her threshold. "I'm going to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." He gave Hermione a charming smile which he knew she couldn't resist.

Hermione sighed and just rolled her eyes. She plopped down on her couch and looked at Draco pointedly.

"This five-year-old blonde is Sophie," he said, gesturing to the small girl in his arms. The little child had started to calm down, but was still looking at Hermione fearfully. "You know that Muggle orphanage a few blocks away from your apartment." The brunette nodded, crossing her arms across her chest. "Well, they have this program 'Adopt-A-Child-For-A-Day'. Pretty long name for a program, if you ask me. It's self-explanatory, anyway. So, here's little Sophie and we're going to adopt her for a day."

"Why me, too?" she asked.

Draco sighed. "Beaver, are you daft or what?" he asked. "Your fourth goal states that you want to make a child happy. I honestly thought of Felicity at first, since she's the only child I know. But, Aunt Gwyneth told me she was bringing her to piano lessons today so she can't. And so, I just chose the Muggle orphanage near your apartment." He shifted Sophie in his arms. "This kiddo wouldn't detach herself from my leg so I chose her."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You ruined it," she spat. "Now she thinks I'm some child-eating monster, thanks to you. How can I make her happy then?"

The blond sheepishly smiled at her and shrugged. "Just go upstairs and changed. We'll figure that out later."

Sighing, Hermione trudged up to her bedroom. "This will be a long day, Ferret," she told him.

**

* * *

**Hermione glared at Draco's back. Once again, they went to Happy Land Amusement Park. Since children mostly like amusement parks, Draco made a brilliant plan to bringing little Sophie in this specific Amusement Park. But alas, Hermione wasn't getting amused at all.

Draco, carrying little Sophie, was laughing at something that the little girl had commented on. They'd been getting along the whole trip, leaving the brunette all by herself. She was frustrated because she had been trailing a few steps behind them without noticing it.

She sighed and shook her head. She honestly didn't know why Draco insisted on her coming when the two _bonded perfectly together_. Hermione had discovered a few minutes ago that she wasn't needed at all. Who cares if she couldn't fulfil her fourth goal? She could do it some other day.

"Hermione!"

The brunette snapped her head up and saw a curious Draco, looking at her. Apparently, they had stopped walking now. Hermione frowned as she saw the frightened looks Sophie kept shooting at her. "Yeah?" she asked, frustrated with the fact that he had just noticed her.

He surveyed her from head to toe. "You're upset," he stated.

She sighed. "Can I go home now?" she asked him. "Sophie and you seemed perfectly enjoying here in Happy Land, Draco. I think I should go home now."

Draco gave her a knowing smile. "Feeling neglected today, eh?" he asked playfully. He stretched out his right hand. "Come on. I'm sorry for ignoring you. It's just that this kiddo is fascinating me with her stories."

Hermione frowned. "But what about… her?" she asked, looking pointedly at the frightened little girl. "She's afraid of me."

"Oh, she'll get over it soon," he said.

Smiling, the brunette held his hand and took a few steps forward. Soon, she was right beside him.

"Don't worry, Sophie," Draco said, addressing the little blonde in his arms. Once Hermione was near them, Sophie just stopped talking. "I tamed the child-eating monster. Just don't anger her. She'll eat you as soon as possible."

Hermione scowled and tried to pull her hand away from Draco's grip. Smirking, he just tightened his iron-grip on her hand. "You'll pay for this, Ferret. I'm warning you."

His smirk just widened. "Go to the monster, kiddo. She won't eat you now, I swear." He was about to give the little five-year-old but she wailed, immediately tightening her arms around the blond's neck. "Come on, Sophie. She's harmless now." But the little blonde protested as tears leaked from her eyes.

"The damage is done," the brunette said, sighing. She was a little miffed with the fact that a child was afraid with her. Usually, they instantly loved her. Felicity's birthday party was good proof. And children were usually afraid of Draco, not her. So, she was surprised to see that little Sophie immediately loved this blond.

"I'm sorry," he said, giving her a sheepish smile. "I have a feeling that we have to do your fourth goal some other day."

"I thought of that," she said, nodding.

**

* * *

**"No, I don't like!" Sophie wailed, arms tightening around the blond.

Draco looked at Hermione pleadingly, silently wishing for her to help him. Hermione just rolled her eyes and mouthed 'your fault'. Honestly, he was starting to regret in telling Sophie that the brunette was a child-eating monster. "Come on, kiddo," he said, trying to calm down the little blonde. "I'll soon be back. I'm just going to buy some ice cream for the three of us. I told you she's tamed. She won't eat children unless they anger her."

"She looks angry!" she cried, looking at Hermione, frightened. Tears swam in her eyes as the brunette sighed in frustration.

"Nah, she's not," the blond said, placing the little five-year-old on the bench where Hermione was currently sitting. "She's just tired. She'll be fine. She won't eat you, I promise."

"Please come back! Quick!" she exclaimed, crying louder as the blond took a step back away from her.

Draco bent down and kissed the little blonde's forehead. "Of course," he said. And with that, he walked away from the bench.

Hermione felt awkward sitting beside a child that was afraid of her. "Umm…" she started but immediately stopped once hearing Sophie's small whimper. "Look, Sophie, don't listen to that jerk. I'm not a monster… I don't eat children." The little blonde was now sitting as far as she could from Hermione.

Quite desperate, the brunette discreetly pulled out her wand from her pocket and conjured a pink teddy bear. She showed it to the crying blonde and instantly, Sophie eyed it with interest. "I'm giving this to you," she said. Sophie eyed it suspiciously. "Come on, it's not going to bite you."

Slowly, Sophie reached for the pink teddy bear. She eyed it first, making sure that it wouldn't bite her at all. When it didn't, she drew it close to her chest and smiled.

Hermione sighed in relief. "Do monsters give children teddy bears?" she asked. "And it's pink!"

Sophie chuckled and shook her head. "No, monsters don't give little kids teddy bears!" she answered, hugging her new toy tightly.

"Are you still afraid of me?" she asked. "I'm sorry for acting so grouchy this morning. I'm not angry with you… I'm angry with that older blond you're so attached to."

To answer her question, Sophie scooted closer to the brunette and smiled at her. "Mrs. Jenkins told me to thank people if they made me happy," she said. She then hugged the surprised brunette. "Thank you."

Hermione patted the little girl's blonde hair. "Awww, you're so adorable," she cooed. "I can't believe an adorable child like you is attached to that ferret."

"Fewet?" Sophie asked curiosity evident on her face.

The brunette laughed. "Ferret," she corrected. "And I'm talking About Draco. Why are you so attached to that blond albino?"

The little girl shrugged adorably. "He's cute," she said. "And I like cute things. I like him."

Hermione snorted. "Always the charmer," she said, shaking her head. "Unbelievable. Why do even five-year-olds get attracted to that dimwit?"

"Ah, good question, Granger," a familiar drawl answered her. "To answer your question, I'm just gifted."

The brunette rolled her eyes, though, her lips were twitching upwards. "Quit flattering yourself, Malfoy," she retorted, watching him as he sat down beside Sophie. She stretched her left arm. "Can I have my Coffee Crumble now?"

"Say the magic word!" Sophie exclaimed in a sing-song voice.

Both adults stared at the little girl. Draco burst into laughter while Hermione seethed at the blond. "Yeah, Hermione, say the magic word!" he exclaimed, mimicking Sophie.

"_Avada Kedavra_," the brunette said through gritted teeth. Thank Merlin she was not holding her wand right now. She honestly wanted to kill the blond.

Sophie pouted. "That's not the magic word," she pointed out.

Hermione blew out an air of frustration. "Can I have my Coffee Crumble now? Please?" she asked, glaring at the still laughing blond.

"Of course, my dear Beaver," the blond said, passing her the ice cream. "Just remember to always _say the magic word_."

"Oh, cut it out," the brunette snapped.

Sophie looked from the Hermione to Draco. "Why is she mad at you?" she innocently asked, licking her strawberry ice cream.

Draco shrugged. "Dunno. Ask her," he said.

"Hermione, why are you…"

"Can we just go the ice skating rink?" the brunette asked. Draco scowled while Sophie's eyes lit up.

"Ice skating!" the little blonde squealed. "I love ice skating!"

Hermione smirked at the blond. "Okay, Sophie, let's go," she said, scooping the little blonde into her arms.

Frowning, Draco stood beside the brunette. "What did you do to her, Hermione?" he asked, suspicious. "One moment she's afraid of you. The next, she likes you!" He wagged a finger in front of her face. "Did you use magic?"

Hermione swatted his finger away and scowled. "Quit it, will you?" she growled.

The Malfoy heir looked at little Sophie. "Kiddo, she's a monster. Get away from her!" he exclaimed, trying to snatch the little blonde from Hermione's arms.

"She's not," Sophie said, frowning. "Monsters don't give little kids toys."

"Ah, bribery," Draco said. "I'm afraid my mere presence is turning you into another Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger."

Hermione just smirked at him.

**

* * *

**"WHEEE!" Sophie exclaimed as she made a small twirl under Hermione's gaze. "This is fun!

"Adorable! Adorable!" the brunette exclaimed, clutching both of little Sophie's hands. "I didn't know you ice skate. You're doing so wonderful, Sophie."

The little blonde girl giggled as she saw Draco trip and land on his butt. "Every winter, Mrs. Jenkins brings us to the nearest frozen lake!" Her eyes, twinkling with mirth, looked up at the brunette adoringly. "Draco keeps on falling!"

Hermione laughed and glided towards the scowling blond. She extended both of her hands and clutched both of his. After a bit of a struggle he was standing upright. She wrapped an arm around his waist to support him.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath, draping an arm lazily over Hermione's shoulders. "This is some kind of revenge, isn't it?"

The brunette gave him a wide smile and shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about," she told him innocently, batting her eyes playfully.

"You…"

"Ah, don't anger the _monster_," she said, trying her best to stifle her laughter. "I can't eat Sophie, Draco."

He groaned. "You should really be placed in Slytherin, Granger," he said. "You impress me, woman. Slytherin suits you more than bloody Gryffindor."

"Thanks," she said, grinning. "I'll take that as a compliment." When his scowl grew, Hermione burst into cheerful laughter. She unwrapped her arm from his waist and held both of his hands again, this time gliding backwards to lead him.

"My butt hurts!" he whined, looking at his ice skates to make sure he wouldn't trip again. "Can we just go to the rollercoaster?"

"We can't," she said, grinning. "We have a child with us, Ferret, remember that. And there's a height limit. Sophie would be too short. And besides, she's just five-years-old. She might get terrified, you know."

The blond scowled and before he knew it, he tripped, bringing a surprised brunette with him. At first, Hermione was laughing so loudly, telling him that he was so clumsy and whatsoever. Draco, on the other hand, was silently aware of their awkward position right now. He was on top of the laughing brunette whose cheeks were red from laughing. He wanted to stand up; he honestly wanted to do that since a lot of people were surrounding them. But for some strange, twisted reason, he couldn't bring himself to move even an inch.

Hermione had stopped laughing now. "Come on, Draco, get off me," she told him, as she playfully tried to squirm out from underneath him. A small smile was played on her lips as she playfully ruffled the blond's hair. But once her brown eyes connected with his silver ones, her hand froze in his hair. Her smile faltered, replaced by an expression somewhere between curiosity and worry.

The way he was looking at her right now made the brunette perturbed. And their close proximity was making her quite uneasy. Ever since they had shared those _kisses_ (two kisses – when she kissed him and when _he _kissed her), Hermione had started to feel awkward around Draco. Of course, she tried to forget the kisses. It didn't mean anything at all. They were best friends after all.

She had forgotten… _not_. She tried to… really tried to. But the feeling of his lips pressed gently against hers as he kissed her slowly never left her mind. It would always leave her wondering, pondering, and downright _confused_. Draco Malfoy was like an older brother to her. You shouldn't keep on thinking about the kiss your big brother gave you, right? But then again, big brothers don't kiss their sister straight _on the lips_.

"Draco?" she asked softly, uncertain… alarmed. His face was inching closer to hers and all she did was gasp. She could already count his eyelashes. Her breath hitched and unconsciously, her eyes were drooping close.

His lips were hairsbreadth away from hers when suddenly, little Sophie crouched in front of them.

"Are you all right?" she softly asked, frowning. People were also surrounding them. Almost immediately Draco pulled away from Hermione and stood up.

"Yes, yes, we're fine," he said, strangely flushed. The blond looked at Hermione's stretched out form and noticed that she, too, was starting to resemble a tomato. He offered his hand, palm up, which the brunette took without second thought. "You all right, Granger?"

The brunette blinked five times. _'What had just happened?'_ she asked herself, eyes wide as she stared at the blond.

"Hermione?" he asked, worried.

"Umm… yes, I'm fine," she said, flashing him a small smile.

Sophie was still frowning. She took Hermione's and Draco's unoccupied hands and tugged at them insistently. The blond stumbled slightly but the brunette pulled her hand away from the Malfoy heir and wrapped her arm around his waist.

"Come on! Get up and skate!" the little orphaned girl exclaimed, smiling widely at the two adults.

All they did was nod their heads.

**

* * *

**"Aww, come on!" Hermione persuaded, pulling a stubborn Draco towards the carousel. Sophie was frowning at the blond, impatience written all over her adorable face. "Is Drakie-poo afraid of the carousel?"

Draco scowled. "I'm not afraid!" he protested. "And for the umpteenth time, woman, stop calling me _Drakie-poo_! It reminds me of my bad luck when I was stuck with that pug for seven years." Hermione laughed, thinking about Pansy Parkinson.

The blond was relieved when Sophie announced that she didn't want to ice skate anymore. Hermione was disappointed, he had noticed, but he didn't care. He just had to get out of this damnable place because his damnable butt was screaming in frustration since he kept on stumbling and tripping, landing straight on his rear end.

But then, the little blonde girl pulled both adults to her most favorite ride in the whole amusement park – the carousel. Draco, at first, never knew what a carousel was. But when he saw the inanimate horses moving around and around, his scowl grew. Instantly, he hated the ride.

"Can't I just go and buy a hotdog?" he whined, looking forlornly at the hotdog stand.

"Later," the brunette said, looking at her watch. "We're going to ride the carousel, just once, and then you can have lunch."

Draco crossed his arms against his chest and stubbornly pouted. "No, I won't. I refuse to ride that... that thing!" he spat.

Little Sophie's bottom lip quivered. Hermione, alarmed at her misting eyes, carried the little blonde in her arms and glared at the scowling blond. "Look at what you did!" she exclaimed. "Sophie's going to cry!"

The Malfoy heir sighed and snatched Sophie gently away from Hermione. He shifted her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. "Come on, kiddo, please don't cry," the blond said softly, amusing Hermione. "I really don't like to ride that… that carousel, I'm sorry. I promise I'll give you chocolates later, okay? Just don't force me to ride that thing."

The little blonde sniffed and nodded her head. She smiled at Hermione and stretched out her arms, reaching for the brunette. She stole Sophie away from the blond and paid for the tickets. Hermione looked at Draco disbelievingly and shook her head. She really couldn't believe him. Draco just smiled triumphantly at her and chose to sit down on a bench near the carousel.

With a sigh of defeat, Hermione brought little Sophie to the starting line to give one of the workers the two tickets. Hermione chose a slightly bigger inanimate horse so that both she and Sophie could share.

"This will be fun!" the little blonde squealed, wrapping her arms around the neck of their chosen horse. Hermione softly chuckled and wrapped an arm around Sophie's waist for security.

"It's moving now," Hermione stated, smiling down at the excited little orphan girl.

**

* * *

**As the carousel moved, Draco's mind started to wander around. The real reason why he didn't want to ride the carousel was because he needed to think.

_Think_.

He had been thinking way too much these past few days. He thought about this and that. But most importantly, he had been thinking about Hermione. They had accomplished almost all of Hermione's goals. Goals eleven to five, done and dusted. Draco also had a feeling that her fourth goal, to make a child happy (which was Sophie), had been accomplished. The look on Sophie's face as she sat on the fake horse, cradled in Hermione's arms, was proof enough.

Three goals were left. Draco still didn't know what Hermione's first goal was (he made a mental note to ask her as soon as possible). It had been a month since Dr. Nobleman told them that Hermione had lung cancer and her life would be cut short. One month more and then, hell would arrive to end Hermione's life. Draco was dreading that moment. He had researched lung cancer and the symptoms were not simple at all. He was worried for the brunette. And Draco, as much as he wanted to forget, knew that Hermione would be taken away from him soon.

The Malfoy heir sighed and looked around Happy Land Amusement Park. Someday, when Hermione was gone (he flinched), he would visit this amusement park to just remember her.

So, how did Draco Malfoy really fall in love with Hermione Granger? He himself wasn't completely sure. He had a bad day one time. His father scolded him for three solid hours about responsibility and all that jazz. He had failed to save a person's life when he had worked. His mother had accidentally tossed his fifty-page report due, in that day, in the fireplace. He had worked on that stupid thing for weeks. Some deranged old woman in St. Mungo's hexed him (thinking he was a monster) so, he had sported a large bump on his forehead (thank Merlin he was a Healer!). Luck was definitely not on his side.

But, when he apparated into Hermione's apartment, utterly grouchy and tired, the brunette greeted him with a warm smile. They had agreed to have a movie marathon that night. Once Hermione's eyes landed on Draco, she instantly knew he had suffered through a bad day.

And so, she hugged him.

Tight.

He told her about his father's lecture. He told her about his patient's death. He told her about his report. He told her about the old woman's hex.

And she hugged him again.

Tighter.

"_Tomorrow will be a nice, bright day, Draco. Everything will soon be all right."_

And then, right there and then, Draco Malfoy knew he had fallen in love with Hermione Granger.

He snapped back to reality when his eyes landed back on the carousel and almost immediately, his silver orbs locked with Hermione's brown eyes. She gave him a small smile before disappearing from his sight again. Unconsciously, Draco licked his lips. His mouth had gone dry.

When Hermione told him to forget about the kisses they had shared after Draco accomplished her fifth goal, the blond instantly knew that that experience wouldn't be forgotten at all. In fact, he treasured it. He had been daydreaming about the time when he would finally… _finally_ kiss her. And just a while ago, they almost kissed. Again.

His lips twitched into a small grin. It was official. The time when they had shared their first kiss was the best day in his whole life. Draco had kissed a lot of girls but, when he kissed Hermione, it was very different. And it felt nice. Her lips pressed against his lips was his favorite feeling.

He sighed, eyes seeking out Hermione's familiar brunette hair.

When they had kissed, it hadn't been the beginning. Oh no. He had merely fallen in love with her all over again.

**

* * *

**"Can I buy cotton candy?" Sophie suddenly asked, looking at the two adults innocently. Their carousel ride had ended and Draco had been joined by the two eager girls.

"Of course, kiddo," Draco said, fishing change from his pocket. He handed the little five-year-old the coins and smiled.

"Promise me you'll brush your teeth later, okay?" the brunette reminded her. At the corner of her eyes, she witnessed Draco's eye roll.

The little blonde just excitedly bobbed her head up and down before running towards the cotton candy stand, which was visible from Draco and Hermione's vantage point.

"One cotton candy, please," the little girl spoke, eyes staring longingly at the bright pink sugar wisping around the hot bowl. The vendor, a fat, old man with white hair, gave Sophie a grandfatherly smile.

"Of course, kid," he said, twisting a stick into the bowl to capture the delicious strands. His eyes landed on the two adults seated on the bench and smiled. "Your parents are a lovely couple," he told her.

Sophie frowned. "I don't have parents," she told him. "I'm an orphan."

"Oh?" the old man asked, looking at the little blond apologetically. "I'm sorry, then." His eyes landed back on the nearby bench, raising an eyebrow as Draco and Hermione laughed loudly together. "But, why are you with them?"

"They're making me happy," Sophie simply said. "Draco told me that they're going to make me happy."

"Ah," he said, giving her another toothy grin. The old man handed her the cotton candy. He didn't fail to see the bright smile that Sophie flashed once her hands clutched the stick of the delectable sweet. She was about to give the payment but the old man refused. "I'm giving it to you for free," he told her.

"Really?" she asked, looking surprised. The vendor chuckled, thinking that she looked adorable. "Thank you."

"Now, off you go," he said. "They're waiting for you."

Sophie looked at Draco and Hermione and then smiled. "Thank you again, Mister Cotton-Candy." And with that, she ran towards her guardians for the day.

The old man looked amused. "Mister Cotton-Candy, eh?"

**

* * *

**"Let's go home," Hermione announced, releasing a wide yawn. It was past twilight already and they had had enough fun in Happy Land Amusement Park. She stood up, followed by the two blonds.

The parking lot was quite far from the place where they were, making the brunette even more tired. She stopped walking and rubbed her right eye. Draco, who was still carrying Sophie, looked back at her curiously. "Come on, Granger. I thought you wanted to go home?"

Hermione opened her arms wide and announced, "Carry me."

Draco looked amused. "Excuse me?" he asked, placing Sophie back on the ground. The little five-year-old looked from one adult to the other.

"Carry me," she repeated, taking a few steps toward the blond. "Piggy back."

The blond snorted. "Now, now, Granger," he said, wagging a finger in front of her face. "You promised me that you wouldn't demand another piggy back ride in the future."

"I was drunk when you made me promise!" she exclaimed. One time, when Hermione became drunk because of a Ministry party, Draco had no choice but to carry her home. The brunette had demanded a piggy back ride which the blond had reluctantly agreed to. "Come on, carry me. If you don't I'm… I'm" – she looked at a nearby bench and pointed a finger – "I'm going to sleep there."

Draco scowled. "Then, go on," he said, clutching Sophie's little right hand. "I won't stop you." He turned around and started to walk again.

Hermione was infuriated. _'Unbelievable!'_ she exclaimed, walking towards the bench.

The blond, noticing that Hermione was not following them, turned around. He scowled upon seeing Hermione seated on the bench she had pointed out a while ago. Releasing a huge sigh, he gently released little Sophie's hand. "Hermione, you're unbelievable!" he exclaimed. "Come here. I'll carry you now."

The brunette smiled and made a mad dash towards the blond. Hermione turned to Sophie and smiled. "Can you please hold this for me, sweetie?" she asked, giving Sophie her small purse. The little blonde smiled and nodded.

Hermione looked back at Draco who was now kneeling down on one knee. Immediately, she wrapped both of her arms around his neck. The blond, grunting, stood up and immediately supported both of Hermione's legs. "Granger, I can't believe you're still eating rocks," the blond said, shifting the brunette slightly. "Please stop. You honestly have issues."

The brunette just scowled and placed her chin on top of the blond's right shoulder. "Shut up," she murmured, eyes drooping close while she released a huge yawn. Soon, Hermione was slumbering.

Sophie was looking at Draco with a sleeping Hermione on his back. She clutched her pink teddy bear closer to her chest upon seeing the satisfied smile on the blond's face. "Draco?" she softly asked.

"Yes, kiddo?" he asked.

"Are you and Hermione married?" Sophie innocently asked, placing a quick kiss on her pink teddy bear.

Instantly, Draco became red from head to toe. "Wh-what are you talking about?" he stuttered, much to his frustration.

"Well, Mister Cotton-Candy thought that you were my parents," the little blonde answered; oblivious to the fact that she was making the older blond uneasy.

The Malfoy heir softly groaned, shivering slightly because of Hermione's warm breath blowing against his neck. "No, no, no," he said, shaking his head slightly, careful not to wake up the sleeping brunette. "We're not married, Sophie. We're just best friends."

"Oh?" she asked, frowning. "Then, when are you going to get married?"

Draco's face contorted into an unreadable expression. "Why do you think we're going to get married?" he asked.

Sophie's adorable face showed wonder. "Well, Mrs. Jenkins told me that when one man loves a woman, they should get married."

The blond sighed and was tempted to rub the bridge of his nose, though, he had to support Hermione. Thank Merlin she was fast asleep. "Kiddo, you're still too young to understand love. I mean, you're five-years-old, for goodness' sake!"

The little blonde blinked. "Okay," she said. "But" – she pointed a stubby, little finger at Draco's neck – "why do you have a ring?"

Draco's jaw dropped. This girl was more intelligent and perceptive than he had thought.

"Is that for Hermione?" she innocently asked, smiling at the brunette which snuggled comfortably against Draco's neck.

"No!" the blond curtly answered, surprising the little orphaned girl. A troubled look crossed on his face, trying to think of a way to explain to little Sophie why a ring was around his neck. "Look, Sophie," he started, "this ring is given to me by my mother. It's important to me."

"Oh," the little girl said again.

"Um, Sophie?" the blond asked, uncertain. "Can you do me a favor?"

Sophie nodded her head eagerly.

"Please don't tell Hermione about my ring, okay?"

**

* * *

**Draco flinched for the umpteenth time. Hermione's head kept on banging against the window of his car. It amused him because the brunette hadn't so much as stirred. The blond bet that a small concussion would form once the brunette woke up.

He looked at his rear view mirror, eyes immediately landing on little Sophie. She was curiously looking at the slumbering brunette, tightly clutching her pink teddy bear. He couldn't help but smirk. Maybe, Sophie was also wondering how Hermione could sleep deeply when her head kept on banging against the unforgiving glass.

Making sure that the little blonde was still preoccupied watching the sleeping brunette, Draco pulled out his precious wand from his pocket. He silently conjured a pillow out of thin air. Proud of his small work, the blond pocketed his wand almost immediately.

He then clutched the conjured pillow with his hand. Sophie looked surprised because she had never seen the pillow in Draco's car before. The little blonde watched as Draco oh so carefully leaned slightly towards the sleeping brunette. For a few moments, Draco's hands left the steering wheel, making Sophie's eyes wide. She watched as he carefully slipped the pillow in between the window and the sleeping form of Hermione.

Sophie sighed in relief once Draco's hands held the steering wheel once again. "Are you sure you're not married?" she asked softly… almost innocently. She watched as the blond turned into a deep shade of red. His coloring made her confused more.

"Yes, I'm sure," he said.

"But…" she said, scratching the back of her neck in wonder.

"But what?"

"It's strange," she softly said, eyes trained intently on the slumbering brunette. "Draco, I have a question."

"What is it, Kiddo?" he asked, not really sure if he wanted to know her question.

"Do you love her?"

Draco immediately stepped on the brakes. Sophie, surprised, jerked forward.

Eyes wide, the blond looked at Hermione. She stirred slightly but thankfully, she was not awake.

The Malfoy heir looked at the little blonde warily. "Why suddenly ask that?"

Sophie adorably shrugged.

"Want to know my answer?" he asked. When Sophie nodded, the blond's eyes landed on Hermione. "What if I told you I do?"

The little orphaned girl smiled brightly. "Then I'll believe you," she said.

Draco cracked a smile. "But she won't," he said gesturing to the sleeping form beside him. "Hermione won't believe me. And besides…"

"What?" she asked and watched as Draco maneuvered the car back onto the road.

"Well, I don't know how to say this," he murmured under his breath. "But, well, Hermione will soon go up there?"

"Where?"

"Up there," he repeated, pointing a finger above.

"Oh."

Draco pursed his lips and then laughed. "On second thought," he continued, "I think she'll land down" – he pointed his finger below – "there. Nasty woman; she'd be kicked down almost immediately."

"She'll die?" Sophie softly asked. The blond blinked several times. Here he was, telling Sophie indirectly that Hermione would die when she_ perfectly_ understood what would happen to the brunette.

Sighing, the blond nodded.

"That's… that's…" And to the blond's horror, Sophie burst into tears. Hermione jerked awake, eyes wide, as she immediately looked at the crying little blonde. Draco had stopped the car now.

He looked at the backseat and pulled little Sophie onto his lap.

"What happened?" the brunette asked, sleep still evident on her face. "Why is Sophie crying?"

Little Sophie was reaching for Hermione. Sighing, Draco gave the wailing little girl to the confused brunette. Almost immediately, Sophie wrapped her arms around the brunette and continued to cry.

"Please, don't die," little Sophie sobbed, burying her face against the crook of Hermione's neck. "I don't want you to die."

Hermione blinked, surprised. Her eyes immediately landed on the older blond and frowned. "What…"

"I'm sorry," he said, feeling quite guilty. "I told her."

She sighed and kissed Sophie's blonde hair. "Shhh…" she murmured, stroking her hair. "Please don't cry."

"Please don't die," the little five-year-old, murmured again.

The brunette looked back at the blond, asking for help through her eyes. Draco clutched her hand and gave it a slight squeeze. "I'm going to bring her back to the orphanage now."

Hermione timidly nodded. "Okay," she softly said, sounding as if she would cry soon.

And then, Draco jerked the key, bringing the car back to life.

**

* * *

**"I'm tired," Hermione announced, rubbing her eyes which were red from crying. She and Draco had just brought adorable Sophie back to the Muggle orphanage. It broke the brunette's heart, seeing how unwilling Sophie was to let them go. But of course, they were just looking after Sophie for a day, so, as much as Hermione wanted to keep the little blonde all to herself (well, she could include Draco), she couldn't.

Draco sighed but didn't say anything. From the moment he ignited his car after Sophie's little outburst, he hadn't uttered a word. Wordlessly, he opened her bedroom door and gave her a slight push inside.

The brunette, surprised with his actions and silence, looked at him worriedly. "Is there something wrong, Ferret? You'd been awfully quiet you know," she told him.

The blond just shook his head.

Hermione pursed her lips, still looking at him curiously. She then released a soft sigh. "All right. Goodnight then," she said.

Draco only nodded his head and turned his face away from her. The brunette frowned. He should have said his normal farewell phrase 'sleep tight'. There was something terribly wrong with him.

She only shook her head and turned around, dropping the subject immediately. Hermione had a feeling that the blond would talk to her tomorrow.

"Hermione."

Surprised, the brunette turned around. And the next thing she knew, she was tightly wrapped in Draco Malfoy's strong arms. Composing herself, Hermione asked, "What are you doing?" Unconsciously, she started to pat the blond's back.

As way of answer, the blond nuzzled her neck.

Hermione's right hand traveled up into his disheveled hair. "You're strange today, Malfoy," the brunette stated. "What's wrong with you? Are you PMSing?"

Draco didn't say anything, though, Hermione felt his small smile

The brunette frowned. "Are you sick?" she asked, worry evident in her voice. "You're making me worry. What's wrong with you?"

The blond only hugged her tighter. He honestly didn't want to let go. He remembered the book _'The Five People You Meet in Heaven'_ and for him, his heaven would be with Hermione Granger in his arms.

Draco blinked several times, his eyelashes brushing gently against Hermione's bare skin. His eyes were strangely stinging which made him frown. Gasping, the blond held on tighter. He knew this feeling. He had felt it twice already. First was when his father forbade him to have this Muggle toy car which he desperately wanted when he was five-years-old. And second was when he was spilling out all of his problems to Moaning Myrtle, frustrated and tired with all of the things that were happening to him when he was just a sixteen-year-old boy.

"Draco?" Hermione asked.

"Night Granger," he said hastily. "Sleep tight."

"No, wait!" the brunette said, tightening her hold on the back of the blonds shirt since he was trying to pull away from her.

"I'm going home," he croaked and then repeated, "_Sleep tight, Granger_."

"Draco…"

"Please," he said, this time succeeding in pulling himself away from Hermione's arms.

Her right hand immediately shot up to her neck, rubbing a small, wet spot. Hermione's eyes widened. She was positive that _that_ was a teardrop. She looked up. Draco had already apparated away, though; Hermione didn't fail to see a tear dropping from his right eye. She had never seen Draco cry in her life.

**

* * *

****A/N: And, end of chapter. Once again, thanks to my ever beloved beta reader, **_**tiger-eye-heart**_**. It's funny that she knows the ending of my story already! Anyway, just review people, okay? Oh, and I haven't replied to all of your reviews. It's either I'm too lazy or too busy or too tired. And so, I just posted all of my replies to your reviews here. Go find your username to see what I replied to your review :D**

**Replies to the Reviews: **

**pinkpanther'09:**First one to review this chapter, hurrah! Hahaha, laughed at the part when you said that Hermione realizes her feelings sooner or later (or rather sooner). Hmm… why don't you just stay tuned to discover it, eh?

**Hermione'sBFF454:**Good question, dear. What is her first goal? You'll discover it soon, don't worry. Oh, and thanks for loving this story. I like making the chapters long. It makes me more satisfied, you know.

**fantasia-49: **Awww, it's cool I made you happy because they finally kissed. And, to discover her first goal, why don't you just wait patiently for that chapter? It will be soon, I swear. And (I'm blushing) it's sweet your applauding me. LOL!

**mentarisenja: **Your review almost made me cry. God, a long review full of compliments. Thank you. Thank you so much. I'm glad you like my story, honey. Oh, and thank you for putting my story in your fave, alert, and C2. Hugs and kisses to you!

**Umbridgeskitty: **I'm glad that you liked my last update. I'm really planning to make them share their first kiss here on that chapter. Oh, and I also love Adam Sandler's song. Thanks for your review!

**malfoysgirl09: **Hahaha, me too; I love chapter seven. Sweetest chapter I had typed, so far. Oh, and don't worry, I update once a week. Remember, I update on weekends.

**lrmorena: **You're welcome, you're welcome, you're welcome…. Hahahaha! And honestly, I'm happy they finally kissed. Oh, and for the hints… hmm (evil grin)… I'm giving hints already, dear. Just read between the lines.

**Hachiko06:** Aww, thanks for thinking chapter seven is 'terribly sweet'. Oh, and of course I'm still willing for you to translate my story! It just means that somebody loves me, you know (hahaha)

**Hermone-Loves-Ron16311:**Yes, true, I made them kiss but they're still not together. But honey, do remember that this story is a Dramione one. And look at the category above – Romance/Drama. Do you honestly think I'm cruel to end this story without my most favorite pair in the whole wide world getting together? I love all of my readers (of course, including you). Thanks for the review, though.

**Kaleigh Windelynn: **Yes, this chapter definitely makes me say 'aw'. LOL! Thanks for the review

**gitgit: **Aw, thank you for your review. And don't be sad; you don't even know what the _real _ending is (chuckles).

**Jika: **Ah, a compliment :D Thanks, I'm really flattered. I mean, it's rare for someone to tell me she likes the way I write. And yeah, that's what I really wanted to happen. At first, I'll make it depressing and sad and all, with Hermione knowing her cancer and whatsoever. But of course, there's still romance, dear reader. It would be way more interesting if it's fun and I make you forget for just a brief moment that Hermione's dying. Thanks for the review :D

**Ocean's Nocturne of the COCA: **Funny question, haha. Hermione's not really angry with Harry. He's dead, remember? And Ron, too? So, if you're talking about the scene where Draco almost said Harry's name to Hermione, she was somewhat affected because she still haven't gotten over their deaths. It's just that she didn't want to hear their names because it still makes her remember that they had left her. Thanks for reviewing, though.

**guignou: **Ah yes, they kissed :D Glad I made you speechless because of that! LOL! Aww, and thanks for thinking that chapter seven is an awesome and a lovely chapter. That's greatly appreciated, dearie. Thanks for the review.

**Whew, a total of fourteen reviews! Thanks to all those who reviewed :D Please review more… the end is almost near, you know.**


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Not yours. Only JK Rowling's.**

**A/N:****Hermione: Draco, do you think 2booklover4's "11 Things" is "a festering sore?"****  
Draco: (looks shock and all) WHO told her that?****  
Hermione: She read it somewhere… (sighs) She looked pretty sad, you know. But she still reassured me she was all right.****  
Draco: (cracks knuckles… snarls) Tell her to tell you so that you can tell me who told her that… wow, I was pretty redundant.****  
Hermione: (Laughs) Don't worry, I'll tell her to tell me so that I can tell you who told her that. (smiles at him). She'll appreciate it… though, no physical violence whatsoever! That's a big no-no!****  
Draco: Whatever, Beaver. Stop being a goody-two-shoe for a while, all right?  
Hermione: (rolls her eyes) Whatever, **_**Ferret**_**.**

**Okay, I'm so sorry for that A/N. My imagination was just running pretty wild. Anyway, that "my story is a festering sore" is really true. I read it somewhere and you know, I felt pretty bad. Thank goodness it wasn't a review or a PM. But still, it was pretty sad… It's criticism, of course. But you know… sad. **

**Oh well, like what they say "You can't please everybody".**

**Anyway, enough of my small ranting. Here's the new chapter! Review afterwards, okay? So that I'll be happy again.**

**

* * *

****Chapter Nine: James Moore, Part I**

_3. I want to save a life._

"No."

Draco blinked several times. And then, his face morphed into shock which soon shifted to pure anger then went back again, before finally landing on blankness. Simple, plain blankness. Lucius Malfoy watched this sudden shifting of Draco's emotions in amusement.

"Why?" the Malfoy heir asked, sounding strangely calm. But then, his father knew him too well. Lucius could hear him grinding his teeth in frustration.

"Lucius!" Narcissa exclaimed after composing herself. "If this is another blood issue, I swear, I really will sign our divorce papers."

Draco glared at his father darkly before turning around. "Never mind; I'll just be going then. Good day." He made a move to apparate but his father grabbed his arm. The blond turned around warily, a tired frown plastered on his pale, handsome face. "Do you need something, Father?"

Lucius sighed, closed his eyes, and started to rub the bridge of his nose. "This is not a blood issue," he said, both answering his wife and his son. "You know very well that even before the war ended, I made it clear that blood issues between Purebloods, Half-Bloods, and Muggle-borns are ridiculous."

The younger Malfoy hadn't failed to notice the fact that his father had used the term 'Muggle-borns' instead of 'Mudbloods'. "Then, why?" he asked.

The Malfoy patriarch sighed again. "Draco, you know that your request is against the rules," Lucius reminded him. "A person cannot be a Healer without passing through a written and practical examination."

"Then give her the exams," the blond reasoned out.

"She should have done it a few months ago," Lucius pointed out. "'s is not looking to hire another Healer, Draco. So, I'm sorry to say, but there is no way that it can be done."

"Damn it, Father!" the blond cursed, already irritated. Narcissa made a disapproving noise at Draco's choice of words but Lucius chose to ignore him. "Hermione only has to be a Healer for two weeks. After that, she can go back to being the same sick and dying girl she is and just wait around for her last day."

Narcissa frowned and moved closer to the blond, clutching his arm to calm him down.

Mr. Malfoy, on the other hand, was now frowning at the blond. "Why are you so adamant about this, Draco?" he asked.

The blond looked at the floor. "It is part of her list," he answered. "I figured it's the only way for her to save a life." Draco then looked straight at his father's eyes again. "She's almost done accomplishing her list. The least that I can do is to help her finish it. And the least that_ you_ can do is to help me help _her_."

Lucius sighed and shook his head. Narcissa was giving him a hopeful look while Draco continued to stare at him determinedly. He really wanted the brunette to be a Healer for two weeks and accomplish her third goal. "Anything for the girl, eh?"

Draco took a deep breath before answering, "Anything for her."

Silence ensued. Draco patiently waited for his father's answer while Narcissa nervously looked at her husband. She was worried that he wouldn't agree. She knew Lucius too well.

Finally, Lucius broke the silence. "Oh, all right," he said, noticing the surprised look his son shot him and Narcissa's sigh of relief. "_But_… but on one condition."

"What condition?" Draco asked, feeling quite suspicious.

"As what I've told you a while ago," Lucius started, "St. Mungo's is not hiring new Healers. And so, for Miss Granger to be a Healer in the hospital for two weeks, one of the Healers must take leave. Once she is done with her work, the Healer will go back to work." He pursed his lips before continuing, "Are you willing to give up your job for two weeks to make way for Miss Granger."

Draco didn't even give it a seconds thought. "Of course," he said automatically, releasing a sigh of relief.

"All right, then, now that's settled," Lucius said, clasping both of his hands. "I am expecting Miss… Healer Granger to report to my office on Monday, 6:30 am _sharp_. I will give her the guidelines and rules." Lucius waved his wand and conjured a set of royal blue robes – a Healer's uniform. "I want you to deliver this to Miss Granger. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," Draco answered, grinning widely now.

"Now, off you go!" Lucius exclaimed. "You're giving me a huge headache already. I still need to finish my report for tomorrow!"

The blond nodded and prepared to turn on his heel, Hermione's new Healer uniform tightly clutched against his chest. He was about to apparate when he suddenly swiveled around. "And Father?"

"What is it now?" Lucius snapped frustration evident in his voice.

"Thank you." And Draco meant it. "Thank you… for helping me."

The older Malfoy was stunned. Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius Malfoy, never thanked his father before. After he composed himself, he nodded his head. The blond grinned cheekily and apparated.

Lucius sighed. Hermione Granger had definitely changed his son.

To his surprise, Narcissa suddenly kissed his cheek affectionately. "That was the sweetest thing you had ever done for your son," she replied, looking at her husband fondly. "I'm so proud of you, Lucius."

Mr. Malfoy's lip twitched upward. "Stop being so melodramatic, Cissy," he said, calling his wife by her nickname. "And can you please make me some coffee?"

Narcissa frowned. "Why not order the house-elves?" she asked.

Lucius smirked. "Ah, what if I told you, you make the most delicious Coffee I had ever tasted?" he asked.

Mrs. Malfoy smiled beautifully. "I'll be bringing it to your study as soon as possible, dear." She kissed his cheek again before disappearing from sight.

**

* * *

**Hermione grabbed her favorite mug after releasing a very, wide yawn. Apparently, she had slept in again (it was so unlike her!) and woke up a few minutes after midday. So she was having a late breakfast… or brunch, as what she wanted to call it since it was lunchtime already.

The brunette was busy pouring hot coffee to notice that her blond best friend had popped into her house, unannounced.

Grinning at the busy brunette, Draco walked quietly until he was a hairsbreadth away from Hermione. Slowly, he leaned closer to her ear. He paused for a moment, taking in the wonderful aroma of coffee before whispering a soft, "Boo."

Her reaction was instant. She released a deafening shriek which could rival a banshee's and twirled around, knocking the mug of boiling hot coffee off the bench in the process. Hermione instantly scowled upon seeing the also scowling blond who was rubbing his right ear.

"THAT WAS NOT FUNNY!" she screamed, face turning bright red. The brunette let out a small wail upon seeing her favorite mug shattered into pieces. "And look at what you've done!"

"Christ, Granger, ever heard of magic?" he asked her, rolling his eyes. He pulled out his wand from his pocket and murmured _'Reparo' _under his breath. Instantly, the mug was whole again. It was as if it had never been acquainted with the floor.

Draco bent down and clutched Hermione's beloved mug. He placed it on her counter and poured coffee again. With a wave of his wand, the spilt coffee vanished.

Hermione grinned, reaching out for her hot mug when suddenly, the blond sipped it. "Hey! That's mine!" she exclaimed, snatching it away from Draco. The blond just chuckled and steered the brunette towards her table.

"Guess what, Beaver," he said, pushing her down on a chair.

"What?" she frowned, looking at his mysterious smile suspiciously.

He conjured a box from thin air and showed it to Hermione. The brunette was about to grab the box but Draco hastily hid it behind his back.

"Oh, come on," she scowled, standing up from her seat and approaching the blond. Hermione stood in front of him, arms over his shoulders as she reached for the box. "Stop being so bloody annoying, Draco. Just give me that box so I can see what's inside."

Draco held his breath and licked his lips. Hermione was too close to him for comfort. His lungs filled with her alluring scent. He cracked a grin and looked up at the brunette (after making sure that his eyes were well-guarded). "Say the magic word," he said, chuckling once the brunette scowled again.

"Merlin," she said, smacking the back of his head. "Quit that."

He laughed a little louder. "Come on, Hermione. Just like what Sophie would always say, _'Say the magic word._'"

"You're really tempting me, Malfoy," she dangerously growled, right hand twitching just beside her pocket. "One day, you'll find me trapped inside Azkaban for killing my own best friend."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Beaver… creepy," he said, though his eyes were twinkling.

"Just let me see it!" she whined, eyes trained intently on the box behind his back.

Draco rolled his eyes. He clutched the box again and showed it to the brunette. Almost immediately, Hermione snatched it away from him. "Feeling impatient today, eh?" he asked, watching as the brunette opened the lid.

He watched as Hermione's face morphed into surprise as she fingered the soft material of the royal-blue robes. Her face then changed into awe once she removed the robes from the box. Hermione transfigured one chair into a full-length mirror and surveyed herself with the royal-blue robes. "It suits me," she told him, eyes still trained intently on her reflection. Slowly, the brunette turned her head and focused her eyes on the now smirking blond. "Is this… mine?"

The blond snorted. "Obviously," he said, also fingering the robes. "I think it will look good on you."

"Why?"

"You're asking me why it will look good on you?" the blond asked, confused.

Hermione profusely shook her head. "No, no, no," she said. She gestured at the other robes inside the box. "Why are you giving these to me?"

Draco smirked again. "What do you think?" he asked.

The brunette knitted her eyebrows together. "Aren't these the robes Healers always wear?" she asked him.

"Of course," the blond said, draping his arm around a chair. "You've seen me wearing those kinds of robes before, Granger."

"Then why…"

"Think, Beaver, think," Draco said, standing up and snatching the royal-blue robe away from the brunette. "Royal-blue robes… Healers… _I want to save a life_…"

Realization dawned on the brunette. Draco watched as the brunette's eyes misted. And before he knew it, Hermione Granger's arms were tightly wrapped around his neck. He chuckled upon feeling the tears trailing down from the brunette's cheeks down to his neck. "God, Granger, why are you crying again?"

"I got my dream job, oh, I got it," she cried, her face pressed against his neck.

"Yes, yes, I know that," the blond said, patting her back for comfort. "But don't be too emotional, Hermione. You'll only be a Healer for two weeks."

Hermione pulled her face away from his neck and stared into his eyes. "But… but how?" she asked, confusion evident on her face. "To become a Healer, examinations have to be taken. I can't be a Healer without taking any exams."

"Hello, Granger, you're the brightest witch of our year," he pointed out. "If I passed the tests, then, that means you'll pass, too."

"But your Father… Lucius…"

Draco sighed. "He agreed, all right," he said, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "In fact, he wants you to show up in his office on Monday, 6:30 am _sharp_."

"But…" Hermione bit her bottom lip, still confused. "I very well know that St. Mungo's is not hiring any new Healers. I mean, I got to be one for two weeks, but that meant that someone had to… give up… their… job." Her voice faltered in the end once realization dawned on her again.

She blinked, eyes still directly staring at the blond. Draco was giving her a smile now. "Finally figured it out?" he asked.

Tears welled up in the brunette's eyes again. "You didn't have to," she sobbed, tightening her hug around him. "You didn't have to give up your job just for me."

"Merlin, it will only be two weeks," he said. "No harm done. I'm not really a responsible Healer, Hermione, and I have a feeling that Father didn't have any second thoughts in making someone take my job even if it was you. Well, yeah, he had second thoughts but still… you know…"

"Draco, you're babbling," the brunette told him, a small smile tugging at her lips.

The blond gave her a sheepish smile. "Well…" He paused and took a deep breath, face immediately becoming serious. "I did it for you." He gave Hermione another kiss on the forehead. "The least you can do is to appreciate it."

"Who said I didn't appreciate it?" she asked, a large smile plastered on her face. She completely pulled herself away from the blond, her smile not leaving her face. She grabbed her new Healer uniform and looked at her reflection again. "Oh, I can't wait to start my job," she said, followed by a sigh. "This will be fun."

**

* * *

**"Good evening, Healer Malfoy."

"Good evening," Draco absentmindedly said, tilting his head slightly to acknowledge a young Healer. He had seen her around before, though, he couldn't remember her name. The Malfoy heir sighed upon seeing the blush on both of the young woman's cheeks. _'So, she's one of the witches who are trying to gain my attention, eh?' _he asked himself.

He opened the Healers' lounge in St. Mungo's and to his relief, Hermione was found inside. "Beaver."

Hermione looked up, surprised, and smiled widely once seeing her best friend. "Draco!" she exclaimed.

Draco stretched out his right hand and wriggled his fingers. "Come on, I'll take you home," he said.

The brunette took his hand and smiled. She looked over her shoulders towards her other colleagues. She had only known them a day but they had formed a strong bond already. "Goodbye everyone! I'll see you tomorrow."

The other Healers bid her goodbye. The blond looked amused. Even if Hermione had only worked in St. Mungo's for a day, she had managed to make friends with everyone already. It took him a week to make friends with all of his colleagues! But then again, she was Hermione Granger.

"How was your first day?" he asked.

Hermione sighed and smiled. "It was fantastic!" she exclaimed. "The other Healers here are so nice, you know. They made me feel as if I'd been working in this hospital for years already. Oh, and the patients here are kind of nice. There were stubborn ones but, it was all right. I love challenges anyway."

"Any new assignments?"

The brunette nodded her head. "Your father gave me a new one," he said. "Actually, I requested for a harder patient. How can I save a life when all I do is to heal a child's wound made by some random hippogriffs?"

"You're still saving a life," he pointed out.

"I know," she said, pouting. "But my idea of _saving a life_ is curing someone from a disease with an unknown cure or something that was too hard to cure." She sheepishly smiled, removing the hair tie on her hair. "You get me, don't you?"

"Of course," he said. They had arrived at the apparation point and Draco grabbed Hermione's arm. The next thing they knew, they were standing in Hermione's bedroom.

The brunette frowned at him and removed her Healer uniform. Underneath it were her normal Muggle clothes. "You know, I still know how to apparate properly. No need to use Side-Along."

Draco just dismally waved his hand and plopped down on Hermione's bed. He rolled onto his back and stared at the frowning brunette. "So, who's your new patient?" he asked, tucking his left arm behind his head

"Oh, a seventeen-year-old teenager," she said, speaking using her serious voice. "Older Healer Malfoy" – Draco shot her an amused look – "told me that this boy had been in this hospital ever sine he was thirteen-years-old. Hermione heaved a huge breath. "I pity him, really. Older Healer Malfoy told me that this boy was cursed by his wizard father because his Muggle mother killed herself once knowing that her husband was a wizard. Then, after that, this particular patient stayed in St. Mungo's with a curse which still doesn't have a cure."

The blond was scowling now. "What's the curse?" he asked. Draco was honestly dreading Hermione's answer.

"_Odium Deprecor_," the brunette announced, sighing. "Or most commonly known as the 'Hate Curse'. There is no known cure, though Healers have a huge feeling that this particular curse is curable."

To Hermione's surprise, Draco groaned. He stood up, his scowl deepening. "Please don't tell me that the name of your new patient is James Moore."

Hermione frowned. "Umm… I'm sorry but that's the name of my new patient," she told him casually. She flinched once Draco blew up.

"No, no, NO!" he exclaimed, shaking his head. He dashed towards Hermione's desk and rummaged around, trying to find a clean parchment, a quill, and an ink bottle.

"What are you doing?" she asked, perplexed.

"I'm going to write to Father and tell him to give that _blasted_ patient to another Healer," he spat, absentmindedly, furiously scribbling down on the parchment.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Really, Draco…"

"No, don't object!" he exclaimed. "James Moore is… is the epitome of the devil himself."

"Really, Ferret, you're overreacting," she said, brandishing her wand. She pointed it to the half-finished letter and whispered _'Incendio'_. Almost immediately, the parchment burst into flames until it was reduced to ashes. Draco scowled and glared at her. Hermione grabbed the irate blond and pushed him into a sitting position on top of her bed. "Now, calm down," she said, wagging a finger in front of his face. "I don't know why you're acting like that, Draco. Care to explain?"

The blond sighed, visibly relaxing already. He watched as Hermione sat down beside him, an expectant look plastered on her face. "I suppose you still haven't seen him," he said. Upon seeing Hermione's nod, Draco continued. "James Moore had been one of my patients before. Like you, when Father told me about this _Odium Deprecor_ in his system, I immediately pitied him. I mean, this curse is very rare. It is said that Grindelwald himself invented this to inflict people he greatly hated. He almost cursed Dumbledore with this particular spell. And besides, the Hate Curse slowly kills people. James Moore is still too young to die."

He scowled and stared straight at the brunette. "But once I met this young man… I instantly disliked him. He was just so… so unbearable. He'd been my patient for a month when I gave up and requested for Father to give me a new patient. How can I heal someone who doesn't want to be healed?"

A contemplative look was seen on Hermione's face. One finger was tapping thoughtfully against her chin.

"Well?" he asked, looking expectant.

"He definitely sounds like a challenge." To Draco's surprise, a large smile broke on the brunette's face. "I like it."

"You'll regret that once you see him," he said, scowling again.

"Shut up," the brunette said, giving him a glare.

"Shutting up," he shot back, raising both of his hands in surrender.

Hermione giggled and stood up. She stretched her arms above her head and sighed. "Anyway, I think it is best if you go home." She approached the blond and bent down to give him a kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight, Ferret."

Draco grinned. "Night, Beaver. Sleep tight," he said, standing up, too.

He gave Hermione a brief hug.

"Don't let the bed bugs bite." And with that, the Malfoy heir apparated back to his own home.

**

* * *

**Hermione nervously tapped her ballpoint pen against her notebook as she strolled down St. Mungo's corridors, towards James Moore's room. She occasionally greeted one of the other Healers with a smile or a quick wave, before continuing her journey.

The brunette didn't have any idea why she was feeling nervous. She was just visiting her new patient, for goodness' sake! But when her best friend told her yesterday that James Moore would be somewhat of a challenge to her, she couldn't help but feel jittery. She was glad, of course, knowing that another challenge was in store. But if Draco Malfoy couldn't tolerate James Moore, well, that was saying something.

Finally, Healer Granger arrived in front of James Moore's private room. The black plastic announced 143. Hermione blinked, smiling at the irony. It was funny to think that the poor teenager with the blasted Hate Curse was staying inside a room that actually stands for 'I love you'.

She shook her head and took a moment to compose herself before opening the door. Hermione was immediately greeted by a lump lying down on the mandatory St. Mungo's bed. Cautiously approaching, Hermione looked around the room. It was basically the same as the other rooms she had visited. There was a single bed with one window and another door that would lead to a bathroom. There was also a television or, wizivision as what the wizards fondly called them. As years passed, the Wizarding World had been slightly tainted by Muggle technology, and thus, the wizivision emerged. It was still quite the same with the normal television but of course, it worked by magic.

Hermione's eyes focused on her new patient lying down on the bed. She was surprised to observe that her new patient was quite a handsome, young man with dark hair. But (Hermione frowned), he was way too thin to even begin to look healthy. His hands, which were placed on top of the white blanket, were very pale. His knuckles were very prominent and the veins were showing. In fact, his whole form was skeletal.

Her eyes then traveled up to his eyes… his cold blue eyes which were intently staring at her.

"New Healer now, eh?" James Moore asked. Hermione frowned; his voice sounded cold and she could hear hints of rudeness in it. "Why don't they just give up? I have."

"Yes," the brunette said, switching immediately to her professional facade. She pointedly ignored his second question. "My name is Hermione Granger and I will be your new Healer for two weeks, James."

"Great, I'll be looking forward to those days," he snarled sarcastically, his eyes now focused on the window.

Hermione's frown deepened as she brandished her wand. She waved it and conjured three bottles of potions – one red, one green, and one black. The brunette eyed the black and couldn't help but scrunch up her face. Even if she was a Healer for two weeks, she still wouldn't be a fan of odd-looking potions.

"Here, James, please drink these three bottles," she said, eyes trained intently on her notebook as she absentmindedly placed the three bottles on the bedside table. "I presume that you already know the sequence – first the black, and then the red, then lastly the green." Hermione looked up from her notebook and noticed that James Moore was busily reading a book. "Are you even listening to me?" she asked, face contorting into slight irritation.

Her new patient looked up from his book, his face cool and calm. But when Hermione's eyes connected with his eyes, irritation became evident. "What? Did you say something?"

The brunette's jaw dropped. She was about to retort but she remembered that she had just met him and she decided to close her mouth and then her eyes. _'All right, calm down, Beaver. Just calm down,'_ the brunette said to herself. She opened her eyes again and this time, forced out a small smile. "I expect you to drink your potions now, James."

The teenager just ignored her and continued reading, idly turning the page.

Hermione crossed her arms and tapped her right foot impatiently. "Well?"

James continued to ignore her and just continued reading.

Healer Granger let out a puff of breath. _'Insolent brat, he truly is,' _she said. "Mister Moore…"

"Don't call me that. It's annoying," he said.

"Mister Moore," Hermione continued, strangely pleased to see him glaring at her, "I am working from direct orders from Older Healer Malfoy" – he looked at her, amusement readable on his face – "And he said that you have to drink your potions exactly, right now. So, if you can just be a good boy and follow your orders then that would be good. I know that you have _Odium Deprecor_ and for you to be treated, you have to drink the potions."

James Moore, to Hermione's surprise, scoffed and threw the book to the floor (_'SACRILEGE!'_ the brunette screamed in her mind). His eyes, now a darker shade of blue, were focused intently on his new Healer. "Listen here, Miss Know-It-All, I do not care if I do or do not take the potions. And what's the _fucking_ point?" Hermione visibly flinched. "I'm dying, anyway. Merlin, do you think I'm stupid? I've heard them… those other _morons _who reassured me that I'm going to get healed when the truth is, I'm bloody _dying_. So, what's the point? What's the _fucking_ point?"

Hermione bit her bottom lip, instantly pitying the teenager in front of her. For some strange, twisted way, she could relate to him. After all, they both had diseases that they didn't want at all. "Please, James, I've heard of _Odium Deprecor_ before and, it doesn't have a cure YET. That doesn't mean that it cannot be cured."

"Bullshit," he spat and looked away from her. "Are you done now? Because honestly, I just want to go back to sleep."

The brunette blinked, eyes still staring intently at the young man. She was immediately broken out of her reverie when the door opened and in came the blond Draco Malfoy himself. "Ferret," she greeted, forcing a smile on her face. She noticed the curious look he was showing but chose to ignore it.

"What are you doing here?" James snarled, glaring daggers at the said blond.

Draco arched one eyebrow. "Missed me, _Jimmy_, because I definitely didn't miss you," he said, approaching the brunette.

"Stop calling me _Jimmy_," he spat, his glares turning darker.

The blond just smirked. His eyes then landed back on the brunette and he immediately frowned. "Did he do something to you, Hermione?" he asked, looking at James at the corner of his eyes.

"No, no," she said, a bit distracted.

"Come on, I'll take you to lunch," he said. He gently grabbed Hermione's right elbow and steered her towards the door. "See you later, dear _Jimmy_."

"Take your potions," the brunette reminded him sternly.

"Trust me, Moore, follow her," Draco said, looking at James challengingly. "She knows spells more than I do… and that's saying something!"

"Go to hell," he muttered, standing up to reach for his book strewn on the floor.

Draco just chuckled and pulled an irate brunette out of the room. "So, still think he's pitiful?" he asked.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I still think that, all right," she spat, annoyed. "But I just can't believe that he thinks he won't be healed! I mean, where there's life, there's still hope. But look at what he's doing to himself… rejecting medications! _What's the __**fucking **__point?_"

The blond flinched and frowned. "Are you trying to be funny, Granger?" he asked, looking very serious.

"What?"

"I mean, hello, here you are, ranting and ranting about a teenager which pissed you off just because he didn't want to take any medications when _you_ yourself refused treatment for your damnable cancer."

Hermione opened her mouth, ready to snap back, when she chose to closer her mouth and sighed. "I just… I just think that he should be saved. He's… I mean, he's still too young to die!"

"Do you hear yourself, Hermione?" Draco asked, starting to get frustrated. "I just don't get you."

The brunette sighed and stopped walking. They were outside St. Mungo's right now. "I… just… I think… I want to save him."

Draco sighed again and looked everywhere and anywhere but at Hermione. "Give up, okay? I'd been with James Moore for a month. If you think healing your cancer is hopeless, then I think healing him is hopeless, too."

Hermione blinked her eyes rapidly and looked straight into his eyes. Her eyes were oddly glazed. "I want to save a life, Draco."

"Save yourself then," he snapped, showing his anger. He turned on his heel and was about to walk away when he suddenly felt Hermione's arms wrapping around his waist. The brunette leaned her head against his shoulder while she took a shuddering breath.

"Why are you mad at me?" she hiccupped.

The blond sighed and turned around, facing the now crying brunette. "Why are you being so emotional nowadays?" he asked. Draco pulled her closer to his body and placed his chin on top of her head. "Crying is bloody annoying, Granger. Please stop that."

She playfully hit his chest. "You're making me cry." Her voice sounded muffled since her face was buried against his chest.

"All right, all right, I'm sorry," he said. "I guess I was just… kinda stressed. I dunno. Let's just eat lunch, okay."

He felt Hermione nod against his chest. After making sure that no one was looking, Draco apparated both of them to a restaurant he had just discovered yesterday.

**

* * *

**Draco released a wide yawn as he rubbed his itchy right eye, his illuminated wand clutched tightly against in his hand. He was just sleeping soundly in his room a while ago when some disturbing noises came from his library (just beside his room) awakened him. He guessed that Hermione, who was sleeping at his house tonight, was still awake and reading.

Grumbling softly to himself, Draco opened the doors of his library. Lo and behold, Hermione Granger was seated on one of the chairs only illuminated by her wand and a single candle. Books were strewn messily around her table (which was unlike her) as she furiously scribbled notes on a parchment.

"Typical," the blond scoffed as he approached the table she was currently occupying. "Granger, why the hell are you still awake?"

Hermione's head snapped up and focused her tired eyes at her frowning best friend. "Researching," she simply said, followed by a small sigh before staring back at the parchment.

"In the middle of the night?" he asked, looking highly amused.

The brunette rolled her eyes and looked back at Draco. She watched as he took a seat beside her and scanned her notes.

"_**Odium Deprecor**__ or most commonly known as the Hate Curse was invented in the 1930's. It is theorized that the great Gellert Grindelwald himself invented it to use against Albus Dumbledore. The Hate Curse is actually self-explanatory. The castor will say a simple spell, __**odio**__. To be able to produce it, though, requires a great combination of swishes, flicks, waves, and stabs with great precision. In the History of the Wizarding World, only five known great wizards were able to cast the __**Odium Deprecor**__._" Draco looked up from Hermione's notes and frowned. "Do you think Moore's father's included in the five wizards?"

Hermione sighed and shrugged. "I honestly don't know," she said, her face scrunching up.

Draco nodded and looked back at her parchment. "_The Hate Curse's symptoms are simple, yet fatal. The symptoms can easily be confused with the symptoms of a mere fever but the Hate Curse is deadly. There are three stages of the Hate Curse – the mild, severe, and deadly. Once a person is placed under this curse, he or she will undergo the mild stage. In the mild stage, the inflicted will often have high fevers. After three years, if the curse is still active in a person's body, the stage will shift to severe. This time, the person will often feel extreme fatigue and painful headaches. Lastly, the person placed under the curse will feel extreme abdominal pain with migraines and convulsions. Nightmares may also be present._"

"In James Moore's case, the curse is still in the 'severe stage'," the brunette said, a thoughtful look plastered on her face. "But, his past Healer told me that nightmares were starting to show. And… at times, he's having seizure attacks so I assume that the curse placed on him will soon turn to the 'deadly stage'." Hermione suddenly looked grim. "Once the curse turned to deadly, he will only live for about a month."

The blond sighed and shook his head. "I told you his case is hopeless, Beaver." He scooted slightly closer to the still thinking brunette. "_Odium Deprecor_ has no cure."

"No," Hermione shot back, frowning slightly. "_Odium Deprecor_ has no _known_ cure. They are two different things, Draco. And besides…"

Draco perked up, eyes intently gazing at the brunette. There was something in the tone of her voice that made him interested. "And besides _what_?"

A small smile appeared on Hermione's face. "And besides…"

"Granger, you're killing me! Just bloody spit it out already!" the blond exclaimed.

Hermione softly giggled and patted the blond's hair. "All right, all right, calm down," she said. "I, well, I have a theory about the cure for the Hate Curse."

"Eh?" he said, lifting an eyebrow. "Enlighten me."

The brunette bit her bottom lip and stared at her parchment. "The opposite of hate is love."

"Yeah, thanks for stating that, Captain Obvious," he retorted, curiosity still evident on his face. "What are you trying to explain, Beaver?"

"See, Draco, the cure for the Hate Curse is the most underestimated thing in the whole world, love," Hermione explained closely. "There was this fairytale I've read somewhere. A man named Oedipus Cantebur came across a woman, Cecilia Olps, who was inflicted by this particular curse. There were no specific details, actually, but the book stated that they became spouses _and _Cecilia was completely cured from _Odium Deprecor_."

Draco was looking at Hermione incredulously before bursting into loud laughter. "Christ, Granger, that's just a fairytale."

The brunette shot him a serious look. "What if I told you that the reason why we were able to defeat Voldemort was because of a fairytale?"

"What are you talking about?"

"_The Tales of Beedle the Bard_… The tale of the three brothers… _Deathly Hollows_… I'm sure Narcissa had told you about that story before," Hermione said.

"You're kidding me!" he asked, eyes wide open. "I always wished that the deathly hollows were true."

"Well, they are, though they are safely kept somewhere," she said, frowning. "Anyway, back to our topic. As I was saying, to cure the Hate Curse, the only thing a person has to do is show love to the inflicted."

"So, you're telling me that Moore needs to be shown love to be completely cured?" he asked, snorting. "Hermione, hello? That kid is intolerable! Who in their right mind would show any affection towards that brute?"

"I can and I will," she said, her frown deepening.

He scoffed. "And what are you going to do? Marry him?" His face contorted into disgust with the thought.

"Silly," she scoffed. "There are different kinds of love, Draco. Not only romantic love."

"Are you serious?" he asked.

Hermione pursed her lips and nodded. "Absolutely," she answered. "I only have two weeks, Ferret. But I will try my best to at least show him some care and… happiness."

Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. "All right, if that's what you want," he said, frowning.

The brunette scowled. "Oh come on, Draco. You know that I can do it," she said, smiling up at him.

"Of course you can; you're Hermione Granger after all," he said, returning her smile. "Just make sure to kick him where it hurts if he hurts you, okay? Oh, and don't hesitate to owl me." Draco cracked his knuckles. "It's been a while since my hand _accidentally_ slipped."

"Git," she giggled, playfully punching his arm. "James Moore will never hurt me. I have a wand, anyway."

The blond grinned boyishly. "Of course," he said. He pulled out his wand and idly turned it. "And I believe that it's way past your bedtime already, Hermione." With a gentle flick of his wand, the candle was extinguished. The room dimmed slightly because of lack of lighting.

Hermione yawned and stood up, scraping her chair in the process. "I'm aware of that," she grumbled. The brunette bent down and placed a gentle kiss against Draco's right cheek. "Night, Ferret."

Draco patted her arm lightly. "Sleep tight, Beaver."

"Don't let the bed bugs bite." Hermione grabbed her wand and soon walked out of the library, leaving Draco shrouded in darkness.

**

* * *

****A/N: And, end! Did d'ya like it? Oh, btw, the reason why it's 'James Moore, Part I' because it obviously means there is a part II. And so, I'm going to post the next part of this chapter on the next weekend. Hermione's third goal is pretty long, you know. **

**Anyway, Replies-to-Your-Reviews time!**

**LoVeDoNtHaTe: **Thank you, thank you, thank you. By the way, my story says its in love with you, too (LOL!). Awww, and thanks for telling me I'm amazing. Self-esteem booster!

**Gryfferin Princess: **Yeah, it was almost their third kiss. Hahaha, but sorry, I have to leave it like that. And thanks for the great review!

**Jika: **Uh huh, me too, I like little Sophie! Only thinking about her makes me squeal in delight! Oh, and of course, this is a Dramione story, dearie. There should be some romance in the background. Thanks for the review!

**fantasia-49****: **Wait patiently, dear reader! And yeah, Sophie's so adorable and all. Just wait patiently for the end, okay? Don't worry, you'll soon know if they'll have a happily ever after. And, I'm flattered I have a fan. :D

**lrmorena****: **Thanks for thinking it was a brilliant move for me to introduce Sophie. I mean, yeah, I have a purpose behind it. Thanks for reviewing!

**GurlOfTheNight****: **And it loves you, too. Oh, and of course, I do to! :D Thanks for the review

**Hachiko06****: **Wow, I can't wait for you to translate my story. Once you did, please tell me, okay? And please, send me a link. I would love to post it in my profile so that everyone will know that some people do love me, okay? Thanks for the review!

**gitgit****: **Yes, that's right. Always be happy! Hahaha… and I do think that the last chapter was sweet, too. Thanks for reviewing!

**Hermone-Loves-Ron16311****: **Aww, that's so sweet. You, reading this story even though you know what would happen in the end. Just wait for the end to see what will really happen, okay? Thanks for the review! :D

**TwistedLover****: **Wow, really? You're immune to sad things? It's so cool I made you sad! Thanks for the review.

**Draco and Hermione is like PBJ****: **First of all, funny name! I like it :D And, you really think so? I mean, I was kind of scared of posting the last part of the story because I think the readers wouldn't understand what was happening. (Offers a virtual handkerchief… is that even possible?) Aww, and please don't cry. Thanks for the awesome review, btw!

**hiddenstarrz****: **Thanks for the compliments! I appreciated it! Thanks for the review! :D

**Umbridgeskitty****: **Yes, you're right. Poor, poor Draco. Aww, and you're another person who told me she liked little Sophie! Anyway, thanks for the review!

**Roxie Black****: **Haha, endure the pain… jowk! I'm so sorry if you are torn between continuing to read this or stop reading because you're sad. This story is under the 'Drama' category after all. Thanks for the great review!

**malfoysgirl09****: **Aww, Sophie is definitely adorable. As for your other question, why don't you just wait for the next chapters to know if the little blonde will appear or something. Thanks for reviewing.

**jessirose85****: **Yes, you're definitely right. Draco's starting to breakdown. Poor him… I just want to hug him! Or, I'll just let Hermione hug him and I'll be happy! Hahaha, is it just me or are you giving me a hint to keep Hermione alive? Dear, just wait for the next chapters to know what will happen in the end. Thanks for the review!

**Ninja Nicole****: **I love Mister. Cotton-Candy, too! Hahaha! I was really laughing when I came up with that name. And yeah, I think the last chapter was sweet, too. Thanks for the review!

**.Poisoned Scarlet.****: **Aww, darling, if you must know, I really took my time typing this story. I mean, it's practically my baby already! Oh, and btw, nice avvie! Hahaha, completely off the topic but I do like Tenten from Naruto, too. Thanks for the review. :D

**Hermione'sBFF454****: **Hahaha, sorry for torturing you. I think it's really… appropriate if I didn't let them kiss for the third time. Just, stay tuned for more, okay? Thanks for the review!

**WinnieThaPoo92****: **Dry your tears, honey. Thanks for the compliment and all… greatly appreciated, you know. Just wait patiently for you to know the end, okay? Thanks for the review! (By the way, I like Tigger more than Winnie The Pooh :p)

**Kat.1600****: **Hurrah, another person who told me Sophie's adorable! Ah, and thanks for liking my story. I'm flattered. Thanks for the review!

**sarahyyy****: **A review full of compliments! Dear reader, you're making me cry! Be patient so that you'll know the ending, okay? Thanks for adding me to your C2, Faves, and Alerts. Thanks for reviewing, too! :D

**Kwebbeltje****: **Thanks for reviewing, honey! I do appreciate it. :D

**Wow, a total of 23 reviews! Surprising! You really do love me. Review this chapter, too, okay? And, I'm aiming for the reviews of this chapter to be at least one point higher than the previous one… So, REVIEW! That's every author's dream. **

**Before I end this, I just have one more question – Do you think my story is a festering sore? **


	11. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own the HP series, Hermione, and Draco. All I own is James Moore :D**

**A/N: Oh, and Part II is here! I hope you like this as much as you liked Part I (I mean, come on, I received 30 reviews!) Okay, enough of that, please review after reading. Enjoy! **

**

* * *

****Chapter Ten: James Moore, Part II**

_  
'Happiness, care, love,'_ Healer Granger repeated her mantra again and again as she casually walked towards Room 143. James' potions were tightly clutched in her hands as she slowly opened the door.

James Moore was there, idly surfing the wizivision. Upon hearing the click of the door, he looked up and almost immediately scowled.

"Good morning," Hermione greeted, slightly miffed with the fact that he didn't want to see her, though, she didn't show it. Instead, a bright, sunny smile was plastered on her beautiful face. If Draco had seen her, he would raise an eyebrow in amusement. "How are you feeling now, James?"

The seventeen-year-old ignored her and continued to attack the remote.

The brunette pursed her lips and took a deep breath. "I brought your potions with me. Please drink them; it will make you feel better," she said, still with that bright smile on her face.

"Get out," he grumbled under his breath, still furiously changing the channels. He placed the remote control on his bedside table before lying down on his bed. He covered his whole body with the thin, white blanket and turned his face away from his Healer. It was clear that James didn't want to talk to Hermione.

The brunette's lips twitched. Her lips were starting to hurt. "Older Healer Malfoy told me to double your potions today," Healer Granger said, ignoring James' comment.

James scowled then sat up again. He looked at Hermione, his scowl deepening. "You don't give up, do you?" he asked, annoyance evident in his tone. "What if I tell you that after you leave those potions with me, I empty their contents into the bathroom sink?"

Hermione's eyes widened. She honestly thought that James drank his potions, even though he appeared hesitant. Anger bubbled in her system. _'Potion Masters stay up late just to finish his potions! Does he honestly think that making his potions is easy?'_ she fumed. But then, the brunette calmed herself down. _'Remember, Hermione. Happiness, care, love. Happiness, care, love.'_

The brunette forced another smile on her face. "Then, I will request them to triple the dose of your potions," Healer Granger answered her patient. "Since you are not drinking your potions, I am sure that Older Healer Malfoy will agree with me."

The dark-haired teenager shot her a death glare before shifting his face back to the wizivision. Hermione approached him slowly and placed the potions just beside his bed. Her eyes turned back on the wizivision and smiled. "_Tom and Jerry_?" she asked. "You watch that, too? When I was young, I used to watch it with my parents. I usually ended sitting in between my Mommy and Daddy as we laughed at Tom."

She didn't know if James was trying to annoy her when he grabbed the remote control again, changed the channel and landed on HBO. Her eyes widened once she saw Keira Knightely's familiar face dancing with Matthew Macfadyen. "_Pride and Prejudice_! I am so in love with that movie, too. Who wouldn't wish for someone so dreamy like Mr. Darcy?"

Hermione pursed her lips when James irately changed the channel. He ended up watching the news. "Hmm… Brangelina. Angelina's going to have another child? Wow, surprising and…"

"Can you please just shut up?!" James roared, turning off the wizivision completely. He shifted his eyes towards the brunette and frowned. "Get out of my room and leave me alone, you annoying cow."

The brunette blinked. After a few minutes of silence, she conjured a plastic chair and sat down on it just beside James' bed. The teenager turned his face away from her. Treating him with her theory might be harder that she had thought. "James, why are you like that?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" he grumbled under his breath.

Healer Granger placed her elbow on top of the bed and then placed her chin on top of her hand. "I mean," she started softly. "Don't get offended but you're somewhat… bitter and moody… and… are you PMSing?"

Hermione was surprised when the teenager snarled. Quickly, his face was turned towards her. "Not funny," he shot back, cheeks surprisingly red.

Hermione didn't hide her smile. She softly chuckled and stared at her free hand playing with a loose strand of James' blanket. "You know, if there was an Oscar award for being an arrogant and intolerable git, you'd win." She smiled at his glare. "Though, Draco would definitely be nominated."

He made a disgusted look. "Don't you dare mention that bastard in front of me," he snarled.

The brunette raised an eyebrow. "Draco?" she asked. When James growled at the mention of his name, Hermione chuckled. "Guess you hate him."

"That's an understatement," he said, frowning. "Malfoy? I loathe him."

Hermione laughed. "What if I told you he was as intolerable and stubborn as you are? What if I told you, you both have the same short-temper? What if I told you both of you are so much like each other?"

"Don't compare me to that… that albino!" he exclaimed.

She merely smiled. "But do you want to know what's the big difference between the two of you?" she asked. Hermione didn't even wait for his reply. "Draco's… Draco's full of life," she said, her smile unconsciously growing. "And hope." Hermione pointedly looked at James but he was looking everywhere but her.

"Do you really think that your curse… _Odium Deprecor_… doesn't have any cure," Hermione asked, now thoughtfully looking at James.

"I read," he said. "And it obviously doesn't have any cure based on research." His eyes glinted slightly, surprising Hermione. For a brief second, his guard broke down and his emotion showed. _Hopelessness_. "And Healers talk… I hear them."

Hermione, heart breaking into two for the dark-haired child, placed a hand on his arm. James flinched, probably feeling something foreign. "Ever heard of cancer?" she softly asked, almost inaudibly.

James scrunched up his face into a thoughtful look. "It rings a bell," he said. "Why do you ask?"

The brunette removed her chin from her hand and clasped both of them on the bed. She stared at them quietly as James continued to stare at her. "Nothing," she croaked, lifting her head to look back at him. James was surprised to notice that her eyes were oddly glazed.

And that was when Draco Malfoy chose to stride inside the room. His eyes immediately landed to his best friend sitting quietly beside James Moore's bed.

"What are you doing here?" the said teenager spat, immediately glaring at the blond.

The blond just chose to ignore him. "I'm taking you home, Hermione," he said. "Let's go."

Hermione slowly stood up from her seat, head still bowed. "No, I… uhm… still need to attend to one more patient before I go home. Just wait for me, okay?" And with that, she briskly walked out of the door.

Draco glared at James. "What did you do to her?" he asked accusingly.

"I did nothing to your bloody girlfriend, Malfoy," James spat back indignantly.

The blond turned a deep shade of red. Whether it was from anger or embarrassment, James didn't know. "She is not my _girlfriend_," he fumed. "And it is obvious you did something to her. Speak up, Moore, or I'll be forced to… to curse you."

James released a mirthless laugh. "What? Another curse? Do you want to double up my _Odium Deprecor_?" he asked.

The Malfoy heir pursed his lips. He didn't mean that… it was just a threat. He sighed tiredly and looked at him warily. "Just tell me what happened to her, Moore."

The teenager looked away from him towards his open window. "She was telling me something about cancer," he said, shifting his eyes away from the window back to the blond.

A knowing look was now plastered on the blond's face. "I see," he murmured softly.

"What?" James asked, curious.

"Nothing," he said, face blanked as he swiveled around. "Take your potions, Jimmy. Give Hermione a favor and take your potions." And with that, he disappeared from his sight.

James frowned. He was downright confused.

**

* * *

**"So, how is Hermione doing at work?" Narcissa asked, eyes shifting from Draco back to Lucius. The Malfoy family was on the patio, just talking about this and that. Tea and biscuits had been placed on one of the tables. It was night time already, though, all of them were still awake because of the blond's visit. He would be going back to his own house in a few hours.

"She's doing fine, Mother," Draco answered, looking at his father out of the corner of his eye. "Well, kind of. Her current patient is… is…"

"Intolerable?" Lucius offered, slightly smirking.

"Yes. And stubborn, too, I tell you," he spat, now glaring at his father. "I cannot believe that _someone _agreed for Hermione to handle that bloody kid."

"Draco, language," Mrs. Malfoy scolded, looking at her son disapprovingly. "And what's with the glare, honey? Why are you glaring at your father?"

"Ah, Narcissa," Lucius started, unnerved by the death glares his son was shooting at him. "Remember James Moore? The seventeen-year-old teenager your son kept on ranting and complaining about a few months ago?"

"Hmm… James Moore? The one with the _Odium Deprecor_?" Narcissa asked thoughtfully. "Poor child, I tell you."

"Yes, yes, he's the one," Lucius said. "Miss Granger is now currently handling him."

"And you agreed!" Draco accused, pointing a finger towards his father.

"Do not point your finger at me, Draco. It's impolite and rude," Mr. Malfoy lectured, casually sipping tea from his cup. "And I only agreed because Miss Granger persuaded me. I believe she likes challenges and the Moore child is definitely one."

"Father, what if something happens to her!" the blond exclaimed. "It might be bad for her health."

"Stop being so melodramatic, son," Lucius said, waving a hand dismissively. "I have a feeling that Miss Granger can handle him." He gave him another smirk. "She has handled you quite nicely, and that is saying something."

"Do I sense some teasing?" Narcissa asked, amusement evident on her face as she looked from her husband to her son.

"But Father!" Draco whined. "Give James Moore to another Healer and give Hermione some patient that is easier to handle."

"I cannot, Draco," Lucius said. "Miss Granger is the only Healer willing to even look at James Moore. And besides, I have a feeling that Miss Granger will be the one to discover or at least give a theory about the cure of _Odium Deprecor_." Upon seeing the look on Draco's face, Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Does that look mean Miss Granger already has a theory?"

The blond sighed and looked away from his father. Before he could even retort something back, a loud pop near the patio was heard. The three Malfoys looked at the source of the noise and was surprised to see a distraught Hermione Granger, tears visibly streaming down her eyes.

"Dr-Draco?" she sobbed.

Draco's eyes widened and he immediately stood up, toppling his chair in the process. "What's wrong?" he asked, alarmed, as he slowly walked towards the crying brunette.

Hermione released a loud wail before running towards the blond and wrapping her hands around his neck. She buried her face against his neck as she continued to release tears.

Narcissa instantly became worried and stood up, planning to approach the crying brunette and console her. But then, Lucius held her hand and gave it a squeeze. She immediately understood to leave both young adults alone. Sighing, she sat back on her chair and watched as Draco consoled Hermione.

"What happened?" he softly asked, rubbing her back in comfort. Draco pulled her closer to himself as he gave her a swift kiss on top of her head.

"J-James Moore," she sobbed, hands now traveling down to his t-shirt. She crumpled the front material of his shirt and continued to cry.

After she mentioned the teenager's name, Draco literally saw red. He growled, pulling himself away from the brunette, but Hermione held on to him tightly.

"No, no, no," she cried, snaking her arms back to the irate blond's neck. "He didn't do anything to me. Swear."

"Then why are you crying?!" he exclaimed, eyes staring imploringly at the brunette's eyes.

A new round of tears trailed down from Hermione's eyes and her cries became more uncontrollable. The only thing Draco caught was '_Odium Deprecor'_, 'seizure attack', and, 'deadly'. Suddenly, he paled. Draco presumed that the _Odium Deprecor_ in James Moore's system had now shifted to the deadly stage.

No wonder Hermione was devastated.

Draco looked at his parents above Hermione's heads. "I'm so sorry, I won't be staying long," he said. Narcissa nodded, already verging on tears. Seeing Hermione cry always broke Mrs. Malfoy's heart. Lucius, on the other hand, was looking grim. Apparently, he had heard Hermione's revelation about James Moore's curse.

"It's all right, honey," Narcissa said, standing up. She looked from Draco to Hermione. "Will she be all right?"

"She will," Draco said, now patting the brunette's back. "I'll try to."

Narcissa offered a small smile and nodded. "Where are you going, Lucius?" she exclaimed, surprised that her husband was summoning his Healer robes.

"St. Mungo's," he stated simply. "I'm going to check on James Moore." He gave Narcissa a quick kiss. "I'll come home at midnight or later. Don't wait for me anymore, okay?"

Narcissa nodded. She watched as Lucius approached the crying Hermione in Draco's arms. And to their surprise, Lucius Malfoy placed a gentle kiss on Hermione's head. "I'll make sure that James Moore will be all right, Miss Granger, so quit crying." He looked at his slightly gaping son and made a small smile. "Make sure she stops crying. It's unhealthy." And with that, he apparated to St. Mungo's.

**

* * *

**Hermione dug the soles of her shoes deeper into the sand as she continued to manipulate the swing she was currently seated on. Tears still continuously dripped from her eyes down to the dry grains below.

"Please stop crying," Draco softly begged from beside her, still seated on the swing. His eyes were trained intently on the brunette.

She looked at him and smiled, hastily wiping her tears away from her face. "I'm so sorry," she said. "I guess I'm making you uncomfortable right now, eh?"

The Malfoy heir sighed. "You have no idea."

"Please, it's all right. I can take care of myself now," she told him, reaching for his arm to pat it gently. "Narcissa will be so worried. Tell her I'm okay." She broke into a fresh wave of tears and covered her face with both of her hands. "I… I'm sorry I bothered you and your parents."

Draco sighed again and closed his eyes. "They understand, don't worry," he said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He slowly opened his eyes. "So, what exactly happened to the kiddo?"

Hermione sniffed and wiped her tears again. "We-well," she started. "A while ago, I was, you know, showing him happiness, care, and love." She ignored him when the blond scoffed. "He, well, kinda became disgusted – ."

"That bastard!"

" – _and_," she said strongly, trying to calm her best friend down through her eyes. "And, that was when the seizures began." Hermione paused for a few minutes, just letting more tears fall from her eyes. "It was a nightmare, Draco… a total nightmare. Seeing him… having a seizure attack… it was awful. Merlin, it was so awful."

"Remember to breathe," he reminded her, slightly jokingly.

Hermione giggled softly but her tears continued to fall. "He was calling for his mother," she softly continued. Her eyes were now staring at the stars above the sky. "I can hear his longing… He misses his mother."

The brunette sighed and looked back at her best friend. "Draco?" she asked. "How can someone hate?"

"Why suddenly ask that?" he asked, raising an amused eyebrow.

"I don't know..." she said. "It's just, it's making me curious. Why do people hate?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

She sheepishly smiled at him through her tears. "Well, I guess you kind of felt that feeling before," she said. "And so, I presumed that… you know."

"No, I don't."

"I presumed that… you have an answer to my question," she finished.

He scoffed and looked away from her. "Then, why do people love?" he asked.

Hermione frowned. "I… don't know," she slowly said.

Draco sighed and looked back at the brunette. "People hate because… they were being hated." He pursed his lips. "That was stupid, but, do you understand me?"

The brunette nodded. "Go on," she said.

"I mean, let's take our old time favorite, Ol' Voldie," he started. "Voldemort, also known as Tom Riddle, hated because _he _was hated. His father didn't love him. His mother left him. He grew up as an orphan. And all he felt was hatred."

"All right, I get you," she softly said. "But… but what about you?"

"What about me?" he asked, confused.

"Why did you hate… Ha – _us_?" she immediately corrected.

Draco frowned. "I didn't hate you. I merely disliked you," he said, his frown deepening.

Hermione quirked an eyebrow. "Seriously?" she asked. "Because that's not what I felt like. If you only disliked me then I never want to be near you when you start to hate me."

He just merely rolled his eyes. "Let's not talk about that anymore, all right?" he snarled, clearly showing his frustration with their topic. "Change topic, please."

"Hey, you're supposed to be consoling me here!" she cried in indignation.

He scoffed. "What do I look like to you, Granger? A human tissue?" he asked, rolling his eyes.

Hermione softly giggled. "No; more of like a human-size, huggable stuffed toy," she said. She made a large grin when he scowled at her. "And you know what? All I really need is a big hug. Will you give it to me?"

The blond glared. "_No_," he said, though, he was standing up from the swing.

She just grinned at him and spread her arms wide open. Draco visibly sighed, gripped both of her hands, pulled her up into a standing position, and wrapped her arms around his neck. His arms snaked around her waist and pulled her closer to himself.

Hermione visibly smiled and leaned her head against his right shoulder, a lone tear sliding down from her face. "Do you think James will be all right?" the brunette asked.

"Hermione, who do you think I am? God?" he asked jokingly. "Merlin, even I can't predict what will happen to_ you_."

The brunette sheepishly grinned up at him.

"You know what, Beaver?" the blond asked, pulling Hermione away from him but not completely breaking the hug. "The next time you're crying, please warn me. See that wet spot on my right shoulder." He pointed at said wet splodge. Hermione chuckled, realizing it was because of her own tears. "I honestly don't want to be your human tissue or your human-size, huggable stuffed toy."

She giggled and kissed his right cheek. Draco gave her a bright smile when suddenly, an owl swooped down and circled around the two young adults. The owl then gently landed on the swing Hermione had previously occupied.

"I think it's for you," Draco whispered, eyes staring at the owl whose wide eyes were staring intently at the brunette.

Hermione frowned, feeling slightly curious. She broke free from Draco's hug and cautiously approached the owl.

"I recognize this," she said. "I've seen this owl at St. Mungo's."

Draco looked at the owl thoughtfully. "Ah, yes, quite right."

The owl stuck out his right leg forward to reveal the parchment wrapped around it. Hermione immediately untied the letter and gave the owl a gentle pat on the head. It affectionately nipped her finger and hooted in parting before taking flight again.

"Who's it from?" the blond asked, eyeing the letter curiously.

Hermione immediately recognized the neat handwriting. "It's from your father," she said. The brunette looked up at him, fear written all over her face. "And I have a feeling it's about James Moore."

The blond placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "It's all right. Go on; read it," he said.

The brunette took a deep breath and slowly opened the letter. Her eyes darted back and forth. At first, her face paled. Draco instantly became alarmed but then slowly, her color came back and a large grin grew on her face.

"What? What is it?" he asked.

"James is okay," Hermione said. "He's unconscious now but" – she took a deep breath – "your father confirmed that truly, James' curse turned to deadly. But all in all, he's quite fine now."

"Do you want us to go there?" the blond asked.

She just smiled. "Actually, you're father's summoning us," she answered. Hermione folded the letter neatly and placed it inside her pocket.

She then looked at Draco and stretched out her right hand. "Come on, let's go," she said, smiling once Draco clasped her hand in his.

**

* * *

**Draco watched as his father instructed Healer Granger about things that should be done to James Moore now that his curse had reached the deadly stage. Seeing her so determined to do everything just to save the seventeen-year-old's life made him quite surprised. But then again, she was Hermione Granger. Lock her inside a room with Voldemort without any wand for a month and he wouldn't be surprised if the Dark Lord was released and turned out to be a house-elf-loving man.

"I'm off, then," Lucius said, this time looking at his son. "Narcissa will probably be fretting."

The blond just nodded and let a small smile tug at his lips when his father patted his shoulder. "Go comfort her," he whispered softly for only Draco to hear before disappearing completely from their sight.

'_You don't have to tell me, Father, because I will,'_ he thought while approaching the brunette. Hermione was sitting beside an unconscious James. Her eyes were trained intently on him, a thoughtful look plastered on her face. "Hermione."

The brunette jerked up upon hearing Draco's voice. She gently smiled. "Yeah?" she asked.

"I'll take you home," Draco answered. "It's quite late already."

Hermione sighed and looked back at James. "He might need me," she softly answered. "I'm his Healer, after all."

Draco also released a sigh. "Beaver, Moore will be all right," he said.

She bit her bottom lip and looked back at her best friend. "Promise me one thing, Draco," she said. "Promise me that when I'm not a Healer anymore, you'll take care of James for me. I don't care if you hate his guts and all. James might be intolerable, Ferret, but he's just lonely. He needs someone to take care of him."

The blond would normally refuse. He hated the bloody kid, for goodness sake! But seeing Hermione like this… so upset over something, he didn't have the heart to say a simple 'no'. "Fine," he answered, slightly blushing from the brilliant smile the brunette directed towards him. "But I warn you; I might not give him this _'happiness, care, love'_ you keep going on about."

"Draco, that's the only way to save his life," she reasoned out.

"Hermione, don't force me to do that!" he whined. "I promise I'll take good care of him. I'm going to force him to eat his food and drink his revolting potions. But your theory about healing _Odium Deprecor_ is hard. Don't expect me to do it."

To his surprise, Hermione only laughed. "Fine," she said. "Then, bring me here every single day. I'm going to visit him and try to test my theory on him."

He just rolled his eyes. "All right, all right," he said. "Now, can we leave now? My brain feels like soup."

Hermione waved a dismissive hand. "Then, shoo," she said. "I'm going to stay here."

The Malfoy heir narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What are you going to do?" he asked.

All she did was give him a mysterious smile. "Hey, a girl can hide a secret," she reminded him. "Now" - she stood up and approached her best friend – "go back to your house, okay?" She wrapped her arms around his midsection and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Night Draco."

"Yeah, fine, night," he said, frowning.

"Oh, come on! Quit acting like a child," the brunette said, softly giggling.

The blond sighed and tightly wrapped his arms around the brunette's waist. He bent down and placed a lingering kiss on her forehead. His eyes were closed whilst doing this. "Sleep tight, Beaver."

Hermione was furiously blushing for no apparent reason. "Don't let the bed bugs bite," she whispered. Draco broke away from their hug and grinned before apparating back to his own house, leaving a still flustered brunette whose right hand was touching her forehead.

"Lord, it's still tingling," the brunette said and plopped down back on her seat.

**

* * *

**

Sunlight stubbornly rushed in Room 143, and thus waking up a grouchy seventeen-year-old. James stirred in his bed and cracked an eye open, followed by the other eye. Groaning, he gently sat up only to feel something tickling him in the process. His eyes landed on a small, pink post-it note. Curious, he ripped it from his pillow and read it:

_Good morning, James! Did you sleep well last night? I hope you did._

_Love,  
Healer Granger_

James frowned and crumpled the small piece of paper and threw it away from him. He didn't see it shoot directly on the trash bin since he was busy groping for the remote control on his bedside table. Once he felt it, James immediately pressed the 'power' button to open the wizivision. He was then surprised when another post-it note, this time colored green, was pasted on the remote control:

_Seriously? Watch television (I mean wizivision) first thing in the morning? Why don't you eat breakfast first, James? Remember, it's the most important meal of the day_

_Love,  
Healer Granger_

He now felt amused. Not annoyed, no. Just amused. Upon reading the word 'breakfast', his stomach growled, demanding to be fed. James stood up and walked towards the cabinet where he knew his precious Chocolate Frogs were stored. He opened it only to be greeted by another post-it note (colored red):

_Do you call this breakfast? What I meant by breakfast, James, is by eating a complete, nutritious meal. And I had never seen so many Chocolate Frogs stored in one cabinet! Please, you might wake up one day with cavities._

_Love,  
Healer Granger_

'_What the hell is wrong with her?'_ James asked himself, ignoring Hermione's little comment and ripping one Chocolate Frog open to eat. He plopped back down on his bed and grabbed a book on his bedside table. And apparently, he clutched the latest edition of _PlayWizard_. A smirk formed on his face. He flipped the magazine open and was greeted by another post-it note (white):

_Goodness, what's with boys and PlayWizard? This is utterly disgusting! Women should not show-off too much skin. It's disgraceful! They are marring our dignity. Shameful! Go read a novel, James, not a picture book._

_Love,  
Healer Granger._

He couldn't help it. He chuckled softly to himself as he changed his _PlayWizard Magazine_ to a book which actually only contains words. This time, Hermione left a post-it note (blue) on the cover of the book itself.

_Oh, 'Pride and Prejudice'! I have never encountered a man reading this book. Even Draco thinks this book is horrible. This is what I'm talking about. At least, somehow, this is educational. I mean, you can expand your vocabulary, right?_

_Love,  
Healer Granger_

James placed the book back in its original place. He looked around his room and was surprised to see that there were more different-colored post-it notes stuck to various parts of his room. There was one plastered beside the light switch of his room (_Conserve energy! Save Mother Earth!_) and one on the wooden floor (_Try cleaning up, you idiot! Don't just depend on the house-elves of St. Mungo's_).

And before he knew, he was laughing. Hard.

And that was how Draco Malfoy saw him. At first, he thought that James Moore was in pain since he was seated on his bed, clutching his stomach tightly while his shoulders shook. But when he heard laughter, he was instantly surprised. James Moore never laughed in his whole life, or at least in his entire life in St. Mungo's.

"Moore, what is wrong with you?" he asked, still surprised and amused.

James gasped. "You're… you're girlfriend's mad. Barking mad," he said, gesticulating around his room. And that was when Draco saw them… the colorful post-it notes. Immediately, he knew it was all Hermione's doing.

'_So that was why she went home later than me,'_ he said, a small smile now gracing his lips. It's not surprising after all. Hermione really tended to do unpredictable things.

"Well, that's Hermione," he said, still smiling. But then, he turned red and glared at the still laughing teenager. "And Hermione's not my girlfriend."

"Yeah, yeah, keep telling that to yourself," he said, now calming down. "It's obvious that that ring around your neck is for her."

Draco looked horrified. His right hand immediately shot up to the ring. "Why do people keep on seeing this when she herself cannot?" he asked.

The teenager just grinned at him, making him surprised again. James Moore never smiled at him. "Tell her to quit doing these things already, okay?" he said. "All these things make me think that she's the one who should be confined here in St. Mungo's, not me."

The blond just smiled. "It's her idea of showing _happiness, care, and love_, Moore. Don't worry," he said. He raised an eyebrow when the seventeen-year-old's smile suddenly disappeared.

"Tell her I don't need them," he said, this time sounding snappy. "How many times do I have to tell her to stop showing me those stupid _happiness, care, and love_? I don't need them."

"Yeah, right, keep telling that to yourself, Jimmy," Draco said, now glaring at the dark-haired teen. "What if I told you that that might be your only cure, hmm?"

Hope and interest sparked in James' face. "She found a… cure?" he asked.

Draco looked away from him. "A theory, actually," he explained.

The hope and interest disappeared from his face. "A theory," he spat. "Oh joy!"

The next thing James new, Draco was in front of him and clutching the material of his shirt tightly. "Thank Merlin she's trying her best to discover a cure for your bloody _Odium Deprecor_," he snarled dangerously. He was satisfied to see that James slightly flinched under his gaze. "Thank Merlin there's a possible cure for your bloody curse." He roughly pushed him back and clenched his hands into fists at his sides. "_Thank_ Merlin she's spending nights worrying about you when she could just have worry about her health."

"What do you mean?" he asked, regaining his composure.

"Merlin, Moore, Hermione wants to save a life," Draco said, absolutely enraged. "And she chose _you_. She could have just chosen to save her life and allow doctors to treat her_ bloody_ cancer. She could have just chosen to save her life by spending nights researching for a cure for her _bloody_ cancer. But no! She chose you! The least you can do is to appreciate her effort."

It was obvious that Draco didn't want to be in the room anymore. James was surprised with the sudden revelation he discovered. His Healer Granger had cancer. Before he could even process that discovery, Draco ripped something from his back and stuck it on his forehead.

"Bastard," he snarled before turning on his heel and leaving him alone.

James blinked rapidly before clutching the post-it note (orange) from his forehead:

_If you think that people do not care for you, then you are absolutely wrong, James Moore. Because to tell you the truth, I do care for you._

_Love,  
Healer Granger_

The teenager read the little note again and again.

Soon, James Moore burst into soft, small sobs.

**

* * *

**"James Moore's curse shifted to the mild stage yesterday," Draco announced.

Hermione's eyes widened and looked up from the bowl she was mixing. He could tell that she was surprised.

The brunette's job as a Healer ended three days ago. Draco, fulfilling his promise, became James' new Healer. The brunette would sometimes visit the seventeen-year-old. Sometimes, Draco was there to witness her visits. Hermione continued to show _happiness, care, and love_ and soon, her theory was proven right. James Moore continued to be showered by these three feelings by the brunette. Surprisingly, James started to warm up around the said brunette. One day, he was just surprised to walk in James' room to see him laughing about something Hermione had said.

"Father already allowed him to leave St. Mungo's," he continued, watching as Hermione rapidly blinked her eyes. "He said that his Odium_ Deprecor_ might disappear after a few more days." He shot her a brilliant smile. "Merlin, Hermione, you should have seen Father when he said that. He was _relieved_ and it's all thanks to you. He didn't say it but I know that he's thankful for your little theory."

The brunette placed the bowl on the table with a dull 'thud' before launching herself towards the blond. She wrapped her arms around him in joy and laughed. "That's good news!" she exclaimed joyfully, placing a single kiss on the blond's cheek. "Thank you for taking care of him, Draco. I know that he tends to get so stubborn and intolerable but you still took care of him."

"Oh, don't be silly, Granger," he said, rolling his eyes. He pulled her away from him, though, not completely breaking the hug. "We both know that it was _you _who completely cured him with the _happiness, care, and love_ thing that you showed him. So don't thank me. I'm not the one who cured him. That honor is all yours."

Hermione just laughed again and completely pulled herself away from the blond. "So, where's James now?" she asked.

Draco shrugged. "Well, when Father told him that he could leave St. Mungo's, he just disappeared without telling me where he's going to live now so, I don't - ." He was immediately cut off from completing his sentence when Hermione's doorbell rang. "I'll go get it."

The brunette nodded her head and watched as the blond left her kitchen towards her main door.

The blond, on the other hand, was looking at the front door curiously. It was rare for the brunette to receive a guest except him. When he opened the door, his eyebrows shot up. James Moore stood there, wearing the usual muggle attire. The blond had to compliment him. He looked quite handsome.

"Malfoy," he said, surprised to see the said blond. "I thought this is where…"

"Draco, who is it?" Hermione asked, emerging from her kitchen.

James face lit up upon seeing his previous Healer. "Hermione!" he announced and shoved Draco. The seventeen-year-old walked briskly towards the stunned brunette and enveloped her into a big hug. "It's so good to see you!"

She composed herself and started to laugh. She pulled herself away from the eager teenager and smiled. "Oh my, James! I never knew that you were taller than me! And you're just seventeen-years-old!"

The said teenager just chuckled and gave Hermione a kiss on her cheek. "Older Healer Malfoy allowed me to leave St. Mungo's," he said. "Would you believe it? My curse has regressed to the mild stage! He said that my curse might completely leave me after a few more days."

Hermione patted his back while grinning widely. "Yes, yes, I know that," she said. "Draco" – she looked at him – "told me."

James frowned. It was obvious that he wanted to surprise the brunette. "Oh," he said, turning his head to glare at the blond (who gladly glared back). He faced the brunette again and smiled. "Anyway, that's not the reason why I'm here."

"Eh?" she asked.

To her surprise, the teenager turned a brilliant shade of red. "Well, uh, Hermione, do you want to, uh, you know, uh, go out with me like, uh, a date?"

Hermione grinned. "Without the uhs, please," she told him jokingly.

James smiled at her sheepishly. "Do you want to go out with me like… on a-a… date?" he asked.

"A date?" Hermione and Draco said in unison.

The blond scoffed. "As if, Jimmy," he said.

"Don't call me that," he shot back.

"She's way older than you are," Draco continued, ignoring his previous request.

"It's all right with me," Hermione said, frowning at the blond. James shot him a smug look.

The Malfoy heir looked shocked. "But Hermione!" he whined. "He's _eight years _younger than you are! Seriously!"

James looked affronted. "Well, Shakespeare was _eight years_ younger than his wife, Anne Hathaway!" he shot back.

"Shake-who?" the blond asked, still frowning.

"William Shakespeare," Hermione explained, sighing. "Remember _Romeo and Juliet_? The one we watched last week?" Draco nodded. "He was the one who made that."

"I don't care if this Shake-who married a woman eight years older than him," the blond continued. "And besides, you promised that you'd let me treat you lunch!"

Realization dawned on the brunette. "Oh, yeah, I forgot," she said. When James frowned, an idea formulated inside her mind. "Wait, what if the three of us go out together?" she asked, squealing. "That would be fun!"

"NO!" James and Draco exclaimed in unison.

Hermione pouted. "Fine then, I'm not going to go out," she said.

James sighed. "All right, I agree," he said, glaring at the blond. "I don't know if he agrees, though."

"Of course I do," the blond spat.

The brunette clasped her hands together and smiled at the two boys. "Brilliant," she said, making a move to go upstairs. "I'm just going to change, all right? And please be good, you two." And with that, she disappeared behind her bedroom door.

James scowled while Draco glared.

"This will be a long night," the blond commented, only making James' scowl darker.

**

* * *

****Replies to Reviews:**

**Gryfferin Princess****: **Aww, thanks sweetie (ha! I used it now :D). You're reply surely almost made me cry. And I'm so happy you'll be reading my stories no matter what? Isn't that cool? I mean, you should know how that would feel if someone say that to you. And, hell, yeah! I'm a Filipino. And we're good, right? Thanks for the awesome review :D

**GurlOfTheNight****: **Thanks for thinking the previous chapter was good :D I appreciate it. Thanks for reviewing!

**MudbloodFlo****: **Hmm… why don't you just wait for the end to find out? Hahaha, and of course, a girl can dream. I dream, too, you know :D. Thanks for the review!

**Confused23****: **Yeah, I think so, too. I mean, I have great readers with great reviews like you. Thanks for the review, though.

**jessirose85****: **Honey, you quite forgot this teeny-weeny detail… Harry and Ron are dead, remember? As for Ginny, just wait for the end of the story to know what I will do to her. Thanks for the review.

**silly munchkin: **And you made me inexplicably happy with your review. Thanks for reassuring me. It's appreciated, dearie. Thanks for the review!

**meandevil: **Impatient much? Hahaha, don't worry, I understand what you feel. I get frustrated too every time my favorite story's not being update as fast as the speed of light! But, c'mon, honey, I need to edit it hither-thither, just to make my readers satisfied with the update I made, right? Anyway, thanks for reviewing.

**sarahyyy****: **Aww, that's so sweet of you. Appreciated :D And yeah, I really thought that inserting James Moore in the story would be somehow cool. I AGREE! I mean, I love reading stories wherein Lucius is so cute and adorable. I mean, he's my most hated character in the canon world (surprisingly, not Voldie). Thanks for reviewing! XD

**jen3227****: **Yeah, I know, Hermione's being a little out of character. But, she has cancer after all. If I have one, I would be emotional, too, you know. Glad you understand. Thanks for reviewing!

**Hachiko06****: **Girl, your review is so cool :D You know what? Maybe you're right. Whoever said that is just jealous of me! As for the translation, I'm gonna wait for it, okay? Just take your time. Oh, and I have a confession to make – I don't know how to speak and read French :) Hahaha, I know. But still, I would love to post the link on my profile. Oh, and are you kidding me? I mean, Hermione belongs to DRACO.

**gitgit****: **Thanks for comforting me. :D And I'm flattered to know that my story's different from the other stories you read. And hehehe, yeah, I loved the part where Draco snapped at her, too. I mean, _finally_, Hermione knows that the blond's frustrated with the fact that she didn't take chemotherapy. Hmmm… I wonder what Hermione would do… oh, wait, I know! XD I'm the author, anyway. But you'll know it soon, okay? Just stay tuned.

**fantasia-49****: **And thanks for the amazing review! Just wait patiently, okay? I update every weekends. Or, if I'm happy, I'll update on Friday. Thanks for your review.

**Hermione'sBFF454****: **Good question. Why is James so freaking stubborn? I hope this chapter answered your question.

**Jika****: **Hahaha, I do that, too, every time my favorite fanfic's been updated! And, for the sequel, do you mean the sequel of 'Time's Up!' If yes, I might start posting the story once summer comes up here in the Philippines. And thank God you don't know what festering sore means (not in a bad way, of course) because, it's horrible, I tell you. Anyway, thanks for the review!

**Umbridgeskitty****: **Yeah, I agree. People are so nasty sometimes. I do get nasty sometimes but I don't really show it. Every time I loathe a person, I curse him/her in my mind. Because, you know, I don't want to hurt them, too, you know. And, just wait for the future chapters to know the answers to your questions.

**WinnieThaPoo92****: **Good, you didn't cry! And, aww, thanks for the comforting words. I mean, you're right. And I agree that Winnie the Pooh's so cuddlesome! But still, I love Tigger more XD

**v****ernalequinox135****: **Aww, words of comfort! Appreciated! And, cool theories, honey. So interesting… hmm, anyway, thanks for the review!

**Ninja Nicole****: **And I was ridiculous for not ignoring the person's criticism. Thanks for the comfort, dear. I appreciate it. And just wait patiently for my updates.

**Roxie Black****: **Aww, thanks for your review. It made me smile like that - :) Anyway, just wait patiently to know what would happen in the end.

**mentarisenja****: **Hahaha, your review made me laugh (even though I know you're serious) Why don't you just wait for the future chapters. Thanks for the review! :D

**Nicole: **Yes, honey, I'm gonna keep up the good work I'm doing :D Thanks for the lovely review. I appreciate it.

**.Poisoned Scarlet.****: **The concept of Hermione saving a life is cool, isn't it? And I can see you're obsessed with Tenten from Naruto. I mean, your avatar? XD God, I can't believe I haven't watched Naruto for a long, long time. Anyway, thanks for the review :D

**CookieMonsterxx3****: **Sorry to break your heart, darling, but I can't put 'dance in the rain' on Hermione's list! I CAN'T BELIEVE I DIDN'T THINK OF THAT!!! I mean, that'd be cool… too bad her list is complete. That was an awesome suggestion. Too bad I can't do it (even though I want to). Anyway, thanks for the review.

**malfoysgirl09****: **The person might be jealous, I agree. But intoxicated? HILARIOUS. And yeah, I love their friendship, too. Merlin, I even envy them! Anyway, thanks for the great review :D

**Enchanted4life****: **Okay, my story's not a festering sore :D And boogeyman blues? I don't know what it means but the name seems pretty funny. Hahaha. Thanks for reviewing!

**redandblack 4eva****: **Aww, short but sweet review. Thanks for the great review!

**rosepop: **Awww, that was so sweet of you. That person must really be an 'effing idiot' as what you call him. Thanks for your review! Made me comforted.

**Lya Darkfury****: **No, honey, festering sore is not _good_. And, SQUEE, I was hoping someone would tell me that her favorite part was when Draco told his father "Anything for her". I was grinning stupidly while typing that part, you know. I mean, come on! That was so sweet, wasn't it? And yeah, Draco had to show his slight frustration to Hermione. Anyway, thanks for the sweet review.

**tibberellascot93****: **I think there's a tear at the corner of my eyes while reading your review :) Honey, your review was so comforting, did you know that? And Hermione can deny all she want, all right? It's more fun, you know :D And yes, I'll follow your advice. I won't let some tasteless loser ruin my joy of writing. After all, writing's my life. Thanks for the review :D

**Cee M.****: **Hahaha, I completely understand you. It's so frustrating if the story you like is so cool but it's not yet completely and the author's so slow to update. I'm guilty of being like that, you know. Sometimes I'm being attacked by writer's block. Seriously, scientist should invent a cure for writer's block. It gets annoying every time I have it. Anyway, thanks for the lovely review!

**A/N: And wow 30 reviews all in all. I didn't expect this, you know. Yeah, I hinted on the last chapter that I want the reviews higher than twenty-three but… wow… so unexpected. By the way, thanks to all the people who comforted me by telling me that my story's not a festering sore. Like what I told my dear beta-reader (who also consoled me, btw. I do love her :D), I was just stressed out when I read that particular criticism and so, I just couldn't ignore it and made me more frustrated. Again, thanks for those who comforted me. You are all appreciated :D**

**Hugs and kisses to each and everyone of you! **

**With love,  
2booklover4 **


	12. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Not yours. Only JK Rowling's.**

**A/N: And... here's the next chapter! Thanks to all those who reviewed in the last chapter. Oh, and by the way, to all those who are expecting me to write something about the threesome's date, I'm so sorry. I haven't included it here at all. I hope you'll like this chapter even if their date is not here. **

**Anyway, enough of those gibberish. Just enjoy reading!**

**

* * *

****Chapter Eleven: Graves**

_  
2. I want to visit Harry and Ron's graves._

"Good morning, Beaver," Draco said in a sing-song voice once hearing Hermione's footsteps trudging towards her kitchen. The blond was seated on one of her chairs and casually reading _The Daily Prophet_. He also had a steaming mug of coffee clutched in his hand. "Did you have a goodnight last night?" he asked, eyes still intently trained on the sports section of said newspaper. He raised the mug towards his lips and took a sip before gagging and coughing. "Damn, that tastes so bad. Granger, could you make me a new one, please?"

Hermione's only answer was silence.

"Oh, and, can you give me another neck massage?" he asked, cringing as he poked his neck. "I'm having neck tenderness again. Honestly, it's happening often these days. All these years being a Healer and bending over patients must be getting to me."

This time, Draco looked up from his newspaper only to be greeted by a brooding Hermione. She was still wearing her usual pajamas while her hair was messily tied into a loose bun. "Is there something wrong?" he asked, frowning. Confusion was written all over his face. "You're a morning person after all, Hermione. Is there something wrong?"

The brunette slowly looked at him and that was when Draco saw the redness of her eyes. She had been crying last night.

"Granger…"

She softly sniffed, tears threatening to fall. "Draco, I'm going to warn you now, okay?" she said shakily. "I'm going to cry. So, if you don't want to be my human tissue or my human-sized, huggable stuffed toy, go back to your house and leave me a-alone." The brunette released a choked sob, still trying to stop her tears from falling. "_P-p-please_," she hiccupped.

He scowled and stood up, messily dumping the newspaper on the table. "You know I was just joking when I said that, Hermione," he said. Draco opened his arms wide. "All right, come here," he beckoned.

Hermione released another sob, this time letting the tears fall. She slowly walked towards the blond and wrapped her arms around his neck. The brunette leaned her head against his shoulder and that was when her tears became uncontrollable.

"What is it now?" he asked, slightly frustrated. "You kept on crying, Hermione. This is not like you. What's the matter now? And see, you're ruining my appetite. I was so hungry, waiting for you to make breakfast for me. But then, you go and bawl your eyes out."

"I-I'm sorry," she sobbed. "God, I kept on apologizing. I'm sorry."

Draco softly chuckled, running a comforting hand through her hair. "It's all right. You're a woman, after all."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" she wailed.

"Nothing, nothing, ignore me," he said, followed by a huge sigh. "Now tell me what's bothering you?"

"It's February 28," she cried, tightening her hug around the blond.

"Of course I know that," he said, slightly uneasy. Silence was first heard before the blond broke it again. "Is this connected to your disease, Hermione? Are you feeling any symptoms?"

Hermione bit her bottom lip. She had forgotten that Dr. Nobleman told them that she would feel the symptoms after two months and it was almost March. She surprised Draco when she shook her head. "No, no," she said. "My reason's different. It's February 28th today, Draco. Think, please. Don't make me say it. I just can't."

He sighed and closed his eyes. "It's too early to have guessing games," the blond whispered. "Why don't you just tell me?"

The brunette sniffled and buried her head deeper against his neck. "I-i-t's F-f-february 28," she repeated in a soft whisper, stuttering and hiccupping as if the words actually physically hurt to say. "I-t-t's their death a-a-nniv-versary."

The blond frowned. He knew that her parents died the summer before the war even erupted. Realization dawned to him. "Harry and Ron," he whispered, feeling her flinch slightly against him. "It's Potter and Weasley's death anniversary."

Hermione, not trusting herself to speak, only jerked her head up, and then down. Draco assumed that she was attempting to nod.

"So, what do you want to do now?" he asked, closing his eyes as he placed his chin on top of her unruly hair.

"I-I guess I want to accomplish my second goal," she said, almost inaudibly but Draco caught it. She squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Beaver," the blond said, pulling the brunette away from himself. "That's being brave of you, you know. But, you don't have to do this soon. It's clear that you're not yet ready to see their graves."

Hermione opened her eyes and looked up at the blond. "So, when will I be ready, then?" she softly cried. "Yes, I admit, I'm not yet ready. But, God, Draco, it's the end of February already. The symptoms of my… my _damnable_ disease will attack me soon. What if I won't have the strength to visit their graves anymore?"

Draco sighed. "All right, I won't protest to that. It's your decision, anyway." He looked at his Muggle watch and nodded. "I'll be having a meeting ten minutes from now. I still have time to owl Father and tell him that I can't go. He'll understand."

"You don't have to do that," she said, completely pulling herself away from the blond. She grabbed a tissue from a box of _Kleenex_ lying on one of the tables and wiped her face. "I can go there by myself."

"Yeah, and bawl your eyes out to some random stranger," he sarcastically answered. "Don't protest, Hermione. You know me. I'm Draco Malfoy and I'm stubborn. You can protest all you want but I'll still insist."

Hermione shot him a small smile. "Thank you," she said. "I guess I could do with some moral support."

The blond waved a dismissive hand. "Now, get upstairs and change into some nice and decent clothes," he said. "And please do something with your eyes, Beaver. Merlin, Voldemort would be envious of the redness of them."

The brunette just chuckled and walked up her stairs.

Meanwhile, Draco conjured a parchment, an ink bottle, and a quill to write to his beloved Father. He just hoped that he wouldn't make a big deal out of it. After all, his father already knew that the Malfoy heir would do anything and everything just for _the girl_.

**

* * *

**"What?" Hermione asked, eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Is there something on my face?"

Draco blinked rapidly before breaking into a wide smile. The brunette really did wear something _nice_ and _decent_… now, who was he kidding? She was definitely beautiful. It was obvious Hermione fixed herself. She was wearing a white, long-sleeved turtleneck sweater beneath a grey dress that ended a few inches below her knee. Her hair was fixed nicely into a half-clipped style. And lastly, her sandals – she was wearing her favorite sandals. Thank Merlin she followed his suggestion of doing something to her bloodshot eyes. They were now her usual beautiful eyes without any trace of the tears that graced her face just a few minutes ago.

"As a matter of fact, there is," he lied, placing his right hand gingerly against her cheek. He brushed his fingers gently against it, marveling at the softness of her cheek. His smile gently grew when the brunette's cheek grew slightly warm from his gentle caresses.

"Is it still there?" she asked, smiling softly up at him.

"It's gone now," he said, hesitantly retrieving his hand away from her cheek. He was honestly regretful for doing that. "Are you ready?"

She took a deep breath. "I'll never be," she said, her smile faltering. "But, I made up my mind already. I'll do it no matter what happens."

"Gah," Draco said, making a face. "You sound like a Gryffindor. Sickening."

Hermione playfully punched his shoulder and laughed. "I am a Gryffindor, for your information."

"Now, who could forget?" he asked her, smirking.

The brunette just rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she said. Hermione took another deep breath, though, her face was visibly paling. "Let's go."

"To Hogwarts?" he asked, now looking very concerned. "You know, Beaver, there's still time to back out. You don't really have to do this if you don't want to."

"Draco, how many times do I have to tell you that I'm going?" she asked him, frustration evident in her voice. "I want to do this. It will be hard, yes. _But I want to do this_."

Draco gave her a small smile and pulled her into a gentle hug. "Just so you know, Beaver, you're the strongest woman I had ever met in my whole life," he whispered, placing a light kiss on her forehead. "I hope that compliment helps."

Hermione grinned. "It does," she murmured, burying her face on his shoulder. They stayed in that position for a few more minutes before the brunette broke it. "Draco?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm scared," she whispered. "I might be the _strongest woman_ you have ever met but I'm still scared."

"Of what?" he asked.

"Of breaking down," she said, directing her misting eyes towards his grey ones. "You know that even after six years, I still haven't gotten over their deaths, right? You know that even after six years, I still haven't forgiven myself from failing to rescue them?"

"Now, now, Hermione," he said, alarmed at her watery eyes. "Don't you dare cry now! We're not even at Hogwarts yet. And, stop it, you're being ridiculous. It's not your fault they're dead."

"It is," she fought back.

"Nonsense," he said.

"Truth," she whispered, followed by a long sigh.

"Look at me, Hermione." He placed one finger under her chin to force her to meet his gaze. "Weaslette was being ridiculous to blame you for her fiancé and brother's death. It's not true, so do not believe it, okay?"

Hermione just looked away from him and pursed her lips tightly.

Draco sighed. "All right, I give up," he said.

The brunette closed her eyes and sighed. "Can we just go to Danny's grave first?" she asked him.

The blond looked surprised. "Of course," he said. "Where is it located?"

"My old home's backyard," she said softly. She stretched out her right hand and looked up at the blond. "Come on, take my hand. I'm going to take us both there."

Draco obeyed and clasped his hand around hers.

And then, they apparated.

**

* * *

**"Wow," Draco commented. "Nice house."

"Thanks," the brunette said, smiling. "This is where I was born and where I grew up." Hermione looked up at Draco and offered her right hand, palm up. "Come on, I'll introduce you to my big brother."

Draco smiled and held her hand, letting her lead him towards the Grangers' backyard. His smile turned into a slight frown upon seeing weeds stubbornly growing around said place. They were over towering almost all of the flowers.

"Wow," she said, surprised, too. "I guess I haven't visited this place for a long time." Her eyes landed somewhere and Draco followed her gaze. His eyes grew upon recognizing the unfinished tree house Hermione's father had made her when she was still a child.

"My tree house!" she gasped, tears welling up in her eyes again. The brunette released a few chuckles while brushing away her tears. "See, it was never finished. Daddy was too busy to even bother finishing it." The brunette grinned at the blond through her tears. "Be proud, Ferret. Your tree house is way better than my father's."

Draco grinned back at her. "You're inflating my ego, you know," he shot back. "And besides, it's not my tree house. It's your tree house."

"Ours," Hermione corrected, running a hand through her hair.

"Yes, true," the blond said. He looked around the backyard again. "Now, where's Daniel, hmm?"

The brunette pursed her lips and looked around. Her eyes then landed on a familiar apple tree and smiled. "There," she said, pointing towards the majestic trunk.

"Under an apple tree?" he asked, amused.

"Danny's favorite fruit was an apple," she said, now slowly walking towards the tree with Draco following behind. "He said it was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted." The brunette laughed with a specific memory. "I remembered that he had a terrible tummy ache because he ate five whole apples consecutively."

Draco's eyes landed on the bark of the apple tree and smiled. An inscription was written on it and, even if it was quite messy, it was no doubt Hermione's handwriting when she was a little child.

"'_I'll always remember you, Danny'_," Hermione softly read, tears now freely trailing down her face. "I wrote that when I was five-years-old." Her had touched the engraved words on the tree bark and fondly caressed it. "I'll always remember you, Danny."

The blond placed his right hand on top of hers and gave it a slight squeeze. "I'm sure he'll always remember you, too, Hermione," he said in a soft whisper. "Merlin, who would forget a stubborn and insufferable witch like you?"

Hermione softly chuckled despite her tears. "Danny wasn't even beside me when I receive my Hogwarts Acceptance Letter," she said. "What if he was a wizard, too?"

"That'd be terrible," Draco commented. "I mean two Grangers in Hogwarts? A total nightmare."

"Silly," the brunette said, hurtling a playful punch towards the blond. "That would have been fine. Someone would protect me besides… you know."

The blond grinned. "Merlin, if he was there to watch his little sister punching me in our third year, he would mock me endlessly," he told her.

Hermione sniffed and smiled, now slowly kneeling down in front of her big brother's grave. Once she did this, Draco's eyes landed on a grey tombstone with the words _Daniel Granger_ written on it. "Hey, Danny," she softly murmured. "See that blond standing beside me? That's Draco Malfoy and he's my best friend."

The blond smirked and knelt down beside the brunette. "Nice to meet you, Danny," he said, playing along.

The brunette gave him a grateful smile before looking back at her brother's tombstone. "I'm quite all right now, Danny," she said. "Don't worry; Ferret's taking good care of me." She took a deep breath and brandished her wand out. "But sometimes, Draco becomes intolerable. Can you haunt him if he's being annoying to me?"

"Hey!"

Hermione chuckled and conjured a red rose. She gently placed it on the tombstone. Draco eyed it curiously. The brunette must have noticed his curiosity since she answered, "Danny's favorite flower was a red rose." She looked up at him and smiled at his surprised look. "Not very manly, I know. But he told me that the reason for his favorite flower is because it reminded him of me."

The blond nodded, understanding the deceased little boy. He agreed with him silently. Hermione really reminded him of a red rose.

She took a deep breath and then stood up. She wiped away her tears and helped Draco up. "Come on; we have other graves to visit."

Draco smiled and nodded. "Hang on," he said, pulling out his wand as well. He conjured a red rose and placed it beside the rose Hermione had conjured. "I'll take care of her. I promise," he whispered inaudibly so no one but the wind could hear him.

**

* * *

**"It looks the same," Hermione commented in a whisper as she observed the happy students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry lounging around the grounds. "It's as if the war never happened at all."

The Malfoy silently nodded his head, eyes trained intently on his once favorite spot. "It's so nice to reminisce of good memories again," he said.

"True," the brunette said. And then, she saw a familiar face and grinned brightly. "NEVILLE! OH, NEVILLE!"

Draco looked amused as Neville Longbottom, now twenty-five-years-old, looked around the Hogwarts ground for the source of the voice. Some students, too, looked surprised with the sudden outburst.

Neville's eyes landed on Hermione and eagerly approached her. The bell rang, signaling for the start of the classes. Before the ex-Gryffindor could even approach the two, he stopped one nearby fifth year Prefect and instructed him that he would be a quite late for his class. He also instructed him to call for him if he was over ten minutes late. The Prefect nodded respectfully before running inside the Hogwarts castle.

"Ah, Hermione!" he exclaimed, opening his arms wide as the brunette launched herself towards him and gave him a tight hug.

"Oh, Neville, it's so nice to see you again," she gushed, grinning brightly at her ex-Housemate. "Oh my, you have grown! And you're Professor Longbottom now, too!"

The Herbology teacher grinned sheepishly. "It's my dream job, Hermione," he said. His eyes landed on the blond accompanying the brunette. "Draco Malfoy!" he exclaimed, surprised that he was with Hermione.

The Malfoy heir smirked. "Professor Longbottom," he greeted politely.

Neville looked horrified. "Did you do something to him?" he whispered softly to the brunette. Hermione just giggled.

"He's changed; don't worry," the brunette answered back. "Now" – she looked around Hogwarts – "where's Headmistress McGonagall? Draco and I need to talk to her."

"Minerva's at the Ministry of Magic," Neville said with a sigh. "They're having a meeting about something. But you can tell me what you need. I'm the newly appointed Deputy Headmaster."

"That's wonderful!" the brunette said, clasping her hands together.

"So, what do you want?" he asked politely, smiling at the grinning brunette. His eyes constantly darted towards Draco, eyes full of curiosity and suspicion.

"Christ, Longbottom, stop doing that," the blond drawled irritably, glaring at the Herbology Teacher.

Neville flinched. Even after years had passed, he still had this _fear_ towards the ex-Slytherin. "Pardon me," he said in a rush. He watched in amusement as Hermione shot the blond a pointed look and he smiled back at her sheepishly. _'Surprising,'_ he said, frowning. "What is it that you want, Hermione?"

The brunette pursed her lips and hopefully looked at the Malfoy heir. The blond sighed and rolled his eyes at the Hogwarts Professor. "We came here to visit Potter and Weasley's graves."

The Herbology teacher looked fairly surprised. Apparently, he had known the fact that Hermione didn't show her face on the day of her best friends' burial. "Really?"

Hermione slowly nodded her head and expectantly looked at Neville. "Will you allow us?" she asked softly.

"Of course!" Neville exclaimed, patting the brunette's head. "Why would I stop you?"

She smiled and gave her ex-Housemate another hug. "Thanks, Neville," she whispered. "This is important to me, you know."

"I know," he whispered back and pulled away from Hermione. "Anyway, I think you better go there now. My class is waiting for their teacher!" Hermione laughed and pulled Draco by his arm. "See you someday, Neville," she said.

"Yeah," he said. "Goodbye Hermione… Malfoy."

Draco only raised an eyebrow and smirked at him. Neville glared but the blond had already looked away from him.

Now, as Neville watched the two slowly walk towards the place where Harry and Ron were buried, he couldn't help but wonder. When he was in his Hogwarts years, he never thought that Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy would be smiling at each other. They even looked like best friends!

He raised his eyebrows, though, in surprise, when he saw the blond's right hand resting slightly on Hermione's back. And the brunette didn't even seem to mind. "Hmm… I wonder," he whispered softly to himself, catching a glimpse of the ring around the blond's neck.

"Professor Longbottom!"

Neville looked at the source of the voice and saw the same Prefect he was talking with a while ago.

"It had been ten minutes, Professor Longbottom," he said.

The Herbology Professor nodded his head and followed the prefect inside Hogwarts. Before he completely disappeared inside the school, he gazed at the unlikely pair. "I do wonder…"

**

* * *

**"This is it," Draco slowly said, eyes trained intently on the brunette. They were nearing the place where both of her best friends were buried – near Professor Dumbledore's grave.

Hermione's breath hitched as she remembered Professor Dumbledore's white marble sarcophagus which was beside the Hogwarts Lake. She knew that Harry's lay beside the Professor and Ron's grave lay beside Harry's.

"Are you ready?" the Slytherin asked.

The brunette blinked, her eyes already stinging. She bit her bottom lip since it was unnaturally quivering continuously. _'A few more steps then we'll be there,'_ she thought to herself. Five steps… four steps… three… two… one… A tear slipped down from her eyes once her eyes landed on the three graves placed beside the Hogwarts Lake.

"Hey," Draco said, catching her attention as he stretched out his hand and clutched Hermione's. The brunette jerked, eyes immediately snapping towards her best friend. The blond gave her a small, knowing smile while lifting his free hand to wipe away the tear that had slipped down from her eyes. "I knew it. I told you, you don't have to do this, Hermione."

She pursed her lips and looked back at the graves. "I can do this," she whispered softly, now walking towards her deceased best friends' graves while tugging Draco gently. "I know I can do this."

"It's all right to stop being a Gryffindor for a moment, Hermione," he softly whispered. "It won't kill you."

Hermione shook her head. "I want to do this," she answered in a soft whisper. Tears flooded her eyes and slowly trickled from her eyes. "I want to do this."

Slowly, the brunette walked towards the three graves and knelt down. Her eyes first landed on Professor Dumbledore's grave and she smiled. "Hello, Headmaster," she softly said. "It's been a while since I last saw you. I'm sorry for not visiting. You understand, don't you?" She paused to gently sniff. "Of course you do. You're Albus Dumbledore. And you understand everything."

Draco's face was full of concern to the point that he was driven to kneel down beside his best friend. He watched as her eyes landed finally on Harry Potter's grave.

Hermione's sobs became uncontrollable. The blond was surprised when the brunette grabbed his hand, finding comfort from its warmth. "Ha-Harry," she gasped. "Oh, Harry… Harry." Her free hand gently placed itself on the inscription of Harry's name. "I miss you so much… I-I miss you."

The brunette punched his tombstone, making her knuckles turn red. "That's not fair, Harry," she sobbed. "You weren't supposed to leave me so soon. You're being so bloody selfish, do you know that? I've been beside you ever since we met, right? There were times when I wish I haven't befriended you at all so I would have only been an ordinary student. But _no_, I stayed beside you. Do you know why? Because I cared for you so much, Harry. Hell, I even loved you! You… you became like a second Danny to me. But you left me, you selfish git." Hermione ran a hand through her tears. "You left me."

The blond, slightly uncomfortable, pulled his hand away from the brunette's grasp. Maybe he should leave her alone first and wander inside Hogwarts to see if everything was still the same. But, before he could even take a step, Hermione's hand found its way back into his again.

"Please don't go," she gently pleaded, tears still continuously falling from her eyes. Her face scrunched up into pain as she looked back at her best friends' graves. "I _need_ you. Please don't go."

Draco's heart skipped a beat as she said those words. _I need you_. The blond blinked and slowly knelt down beside Hermione again, this time, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

Hermione's eyes were now trained intently on Ron's grave. It was common knowledge that the redhead had been her first love. It just slowly subsided when Ron made it obvious that she wasn't the one whom he fancied but Lavender Brown. A slow smile formed on her face and she closed her eyes. Her hand brushed against Ron's name, remembering everything that was _him_. "I hate you, Ronald," she cried. "I hate you for leaving me, too. You made me mad when you told me that you don't love me, too, you know. But, don't worry, I've forgiven you now. But leaving me? That's a low blow… a very, very low blow."

The Malfoy heir rubbed his thumb against her neck to calm her down. Hermione's eyes slowly closed, succumbing to his gentle caresses.

Slowly, the brunette opened her glassy eyes and stared back at the blond's worried ones. "Thank you," she whispered, placing a wet kiss on his forehead. "Thank you so much."

Draco sighed and wrapped his arm around her waist. Hermione leaned her head against his shoulder and continued to cry. "Let's get out of here," he whispered.

Hermione didn't answer so, the blond just apparated both of them away.

**

* * *

**Draco and Hermione were inside a nice, comfy coffee house which located a few blocks away from Hermione's apartment. The Malfoy heir chose a place secluded from the other usual customers of the store so that they wouldn't attract too much attention (especially Hermione's cries).

The brunette was still continuously sobbing, face buried behind her hands. It had been twenty minutes since they had visited the graves but Hermione was still crying. And truthfully, Draco was becoming alarmed.

"Hermione," he said for the umpteenth time. "Please stop crying. It's killing me, do you know that?"

Hermione buried her face deeper so as to muffle her tears but still didn't stop crying.

Draco looked around the coffee shop. Some people were busy minding their own business, thank God. But one of the waitresses of the shop, _their_ waitress, was looking at the pair curiously. He shot her a warning look which made her blush and look away from the both of them.

Sighing, the blond gently removed Hermione's hands away from her face and clutched both of them tightly. "Come here," he beckoned, pulling the brunette gently to himself. Hermione obliged until she ended sitting in the blond's lap, face once again buried against the crook of his neck.

"I miss them… I miss them both oh so much," she gasped, gripping the front material of his t-shirt for dear life. "It's unfair… it's so bloody unfair."

"Hush," he whispered, closing his eyes as he leaned his head against hers. "It's all right."

"You don't get it!" she cried, banging her fist against his chest. Draco didn't seem to mind. "Everything's not all right. Life… life had been harsh… too harsh! A-and now, I have lung cancer."

"Calm down," he murmured, running a hand through her hair. "It's all right. It's all right. Please, calm down."

"I'll follow them soon," she sobbed. "Soon, I'll be able to see them again. Soon, Harry will greet me with a warm, big hug and Ron will flash me his usual, crooked smile. Soon, I'll be able to scold them again." Her last sentence made her on the other hand, Draco didn't find anything funny at all.

"Don't say that," he said, hugging her tight. "Please take that back, Hermione. It wasn't funny at all."

"Well, it's true!" she cried indignantly.

Draco just pursed his lips and continued to comfort the crying brunette.

Silence ensued. People hustled and bustled in the café. Teenagers came in… Adults came in… Families came in. But the two young adults, one seated on the other's lap, were silent except for the soft cries of the brunette.

"Hermione," he softly whispered, breaking the comfortable silence.

She didn't answer. Instead, she snuggled her head more comfortably against his neck, her breath gently blowing against his neck.

"Hermione," he repeated.

"Yes?" she asked, sniffing softly.

"Aren't I enough?"

The brunette didn't answer. Surprisingly, she stopped sniffing. And then slowly, she moved her head away from his neck so that she was staring straight into his eyes.

"Aren't I enough?" he whispered again. Hermione pursed her lips at the look in his eyes – sadness. It was there, clouding his usual warm and happy eyes. The brunette placed one hand beside his cheek. She gently brushed it as he closed his woeful eyes. Leaning closer, the brunette pressed her lips sweetly against his forehead.

"Please take me home now," she whispered.

Draco slowly opened his eyes and stared at her watery ones. He nodded mutely, watching as the brunette stood up from his lap. He stood up, too, and walked towards the exit of the coffee shop.

Hermione hadn't answered his question and that made him troubled. _'Silence means yes'_, she once quoted. And so, her silence meant yes, then.

For some reason, that made him slightly angry. He ignored the brunette as he trudged towards the apparition point. He was about to apparate away when Hermione's warm hand enveloped his.

That calmed him down.

**

* * *

**Draco followed Hermione to her bedroom. It was still too early but the brunette had announced that she was tired.

Upon arriving in her bedroom, the brunette grabbed shorts from her cabinet and slid them on before removing her grey dress, revealing her white turtleneck sweater. She crawled on her bed and smiled gratefully at her best friend when he tucked her inside her comforter. She watched as the blond grabbed her ferret stuffed toy from her desk and placed it beside her.

"I'm going now," he said quietly, straightening up. "Father demanded

my presence and I have to explain why I didn't arrive at the meeting a while ago."

Hermione gave him a small smile. "I'm sorry," she said.

"Not your fault," Draco said dismissively. "Father is just being his usual self."

The brunette just nodded in agreement.

"Anyway," he said, leaning down to kiss her on the forehead, "I think it's best if you go to sleep now. God, crying drained your energy, eh? It's too early for your bedtime but you are dead tired."

"I'm sorry," she repeated again, wrapping an arm around his neck to give him a kiss on the cheek. She immediately released him and closed her eyes, not noticing the blush that crept on both of the blond's cheeks. "Goodbye, Draco."

"Sleep tight," he said, brushing a stray strand away from her forehead.

"Don't let the bed bugs bite."

The blond chuckled and turned on his heel. He was about to cross the threshold of her bedroom but then, Hermione stopped him.

"Draco?" she whispered, barely audible, though the blond still heard her.

He turned around, looking at her curiously. "Yeah?"

Her eyes connected into his while a small smile grew on her lips. "You're more than enough," she simply said.

Draco looked surprised at first. He blinked exactly three times before breaking into a large, heart-warming smile. He turned around on his heel and then strode away from her bedroom.

**

* * *

**Coughs were heard in the dark bedroom, shattering the serene silence. The only thing that was visible was the moon outside the window, illuminating the whole bedroom.

Coughs would repeat and repeat, sounding like a gun until the voice became hoarse and croaky. Grabbing a white handkerchief from the bedside table, it was gingerly pressed against the lips, muffling the sound of the deafening coughs.

After removing it from the mouth, there it was, greatly contrasting the stark whiteness of the handkerchief.

Blood.

**

* * *

****Replies to Reviews:**

**.Poisoned Scarlet.****: **Hahaha, yeah. Tenten _does _need some more screen time (and yeah, you said that already in your last review XD) Anyway, thanks for the great, _great _review! And, do you really think James Moore's a rival? Hahaha, just stay tuned for more!

**TMRC****: **Thanks for thinking the last chapter was brilliant. And yeah, of course, I would update. Thanks for the review!

**jessirose85: **Hahaha, glad for finally remembering :D Thanks for reviewing!

**Jazii26****: **Awww, honey, did you really expect me to put some details about their date? I'm so sorry, I just needed something to end the chapter! Hahaha, yeah, I know, lame. I'm so sorry if I disappointed you. Thanks for reviewing, though.

**lrmorena****: **Yeah, Lucius was adorable in the last chapter. And for happy endings… hmm… let me think. Why don't you just wait for the end of my story? LOL! Thanks for the review :D

**Binxs1****: **Thanks for the comforting words, honey. Don't worry, I'm continuing it. I got over that bloody 'festering sore' a few days ago already. Thanks for the awesome review!

**ronniekins-mione****: **Oh, no! I have to re-melt you back! HAHA! You still haven't finished reading my whole story! And I'm continuing, don't worry. Thanks for the review!

**malfoysgirl09****: **Lovely, eh? I mean, when I first thought of James having a crush on Hermione, I was like 'Why not?' And, it turned out well (umm… for me) And hahaha, yeah I could see his jealousy! Aww, adorable Drakie! And as for your theory… hmm… _maybe_. Only God knows… and of course, my dear beta and I! Anyway, just keep waiting, okay? Thanks for the review.

**Cymberline****: **Yeah, I figured out you disliked this pair while reading your profile. I mean, aww, too bad. For me, they're a lovely pair! Well, I'm not really offended. I mean, I have friends who hate Dramione stories, too! Well, actually before, I was disgusted with the idea that some of my friends are supporting this ship. But well, I just fell in love after reading one fan fiction. Thanks for reviewing and giving my _Dramione _story a try. It's greatly appreciated.

**Thu****: **Yeah, someone called my story a festering sore. And hahaha, you'll festering sore them? Hahaha, I hope your wish comes true :p Too bad… cancer in real life just couldn't avada itself, right? What if it can? Everybody will be happy! And, sorry if you expected them to have a date when I decided not to put it here in this chapter. It would… let's just say, not fit in this chapter. Anyway, thanks for the lovely review!

**mandita****: **Yeah, the ending was kinda cute for me, too. I hope you'll like the endingof the whole story. Thanks for reviewing!

**-Zabini****: **Hahaha, yeah, Hermione's so dense :D I mean, some intelligent people are dense when it comes to feelings and emotions. I know some people who are like that… Anyway, as for your suggestion, why don't you wait for my updates? Thanks for reviewing.

**vernalequinox135****: **Hahaha, funny review. The excerpt of what you thought was cool, honey! Anyway, thanks for the review!

**Hachiko06****: **Dearie, it's D-R-A-M-I-O-N-E!!! Hahaha, are you implying that the person who said my story's a festering sore is not normal? AND, I AGREE! French is a beautiful language. Ever since I was in Grade 6 (I think), I always wanted to learn French but I never had the chance. Don't worry, if I need help, I'll email you. And, don't apologize for giving me a long review! I mean, the longer the better! :D

**Kwebbeltje****: **Hahaha, sorry if that random 'James asking Hermione out' made you quite frustrated. But, remember honey, it's a Dramione story! Thanks for reviewing!

**fantasia-49****: **Awww, thanks. :D Compliments, compliments, greatly appreciated! Thanks for the awesome review!

**GurlOfTheNight****: **Yeah, I mean, finally after four years, he's getting better! Thanks to Hermione for the awesome theory she made. Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

**WinnieThaPoo92****: **You can't make up your mind, eh? Hahaha, I'm so sorry for that. And yeah, I think they're awesome, too! Thanks for the review!

**gitgit****: **Aww, thanks for the awesome review, too. And, now you know what number 2 is on her list! And really, you think the post-it part was cute? I mean, I really got the idea on Hermione's ninth goal when Draco was supporting her through the post-it note and note-shaped spread on her bread! Anyway, thanks for the review!

**redandblack 4eva****: **Don't worry, you're not alone. I'm a hopeless romantic, too. I had fun typing the post-it notes part! I think that's the best part I made in the last chapter. And, I really intended on doing that. Dear reader, I want you and the others to hate James but then end up liking him (just like Snape! Well, for me). Anyway, thanks for the review!

**Cee M.****: **Yes, yes, convince them! HAHAHA! It would be greatly appreciated. Of course Hermione had to be the one to discover the cure for something thought to be deadly and incurable. I mean, I really want her to accomplish her goal of saving someone's life. AND, honey, I love it when Hermione's dense. I mean, she's so intelligent! Sometimes, intelligent people should be dense about one thing, right? Anyway, I'm so sorry if I disappointed you. I was having a hard time thinking of details about the threesome's date and so, I just decided to move on and start Hermione's wish of accomplishing her second goal. So, sorry! And hey! That's Hermione's line! :p… oh, yeah, yours is writer's block bugs bite!!!! HILARIOUS! Honey, thanks for the awesomely long review!

**Twitchy the Squirrel****: **Wow, I'm happy you chose to read this story even if it's sad(ish) :p Hahaha, and don't worry, I'm totally over the festering sore thingie… And THANKS! You're another reviewer who told me the post-it notes part was hilarious. I love that part, too! Hmm… and your questions, I thought of some things about it already. Just wait for the last chapter to discover the answers (ha! I gave you a clue!) Thanks for the review!

**moon23: **Aww, thanks for the compliments. I mean, it's rare when someone tells me I'm a great writer. Would you believe it if I don't excel much in writing essays in English? Hahaha! Anyway, thanks for the awesome review!

**mentarisenja****: **Sorry, honey, if I disappointed you of not writing the part when the three dated. And for your questions, why don't you wait for my updates. Maybe, some of your questions would be answered. Thanks for reviewing!

**Jika****: **Hahaha, sorry if I'm confused. I really thought that the 'sequel' you meant was for my other story 'Time's Up!' Anyway, thanks for the great review!

**jp'slover4life****: **Demanding much? Hahaha, Draco would look adorable if you boss him around! Tell him to stop being so dumb and ask Hermione to marry him! And yeah, I'm proud of Hermione too! Thanks for the review!

**Draco and Hermione is like PBJ****: **Don't worry, I'll keep writing :D Aww, and was it really sweet? I really thought so, too! Anyway, thanks for the review!

**CookieMonsterxx3****: **Sorry, honey. But I really like your suggestion! I should have thought of that goal of hers wayyyy before I finished doing her list! Anyway, your reassurance comforted me. Hahaha. Thanks for reviewing!

**meandevil: **Awww, wow! Nice compliments! As for your question about Ginny, why don't you just wait for my next updates to know the answer? Thanks for the review!

**Hermone-Loves-Ron16311****: **That was so sweet. Your review's short but it's still greatly appreciated. Thanks for reviewing!

**Umbridgeskitty****: **Hahaha, I'm a fan of love triangles, you know. Thanks for the review! :D

**flamingbunnies****: **Before anything else, I just want to say I love your avatar! Hahaha, I love Potter Puppet Pals! I mean, did you see 'The Mysterious Ticking Noise' already? I mean, brilliant! Anyway, back to topic. Thanks for the great review! Aww, James Moore has a new fan! Hahaha! :p

**Ninja Nicole****: **Yeah, I really intended that. I want people to think that James hates Hermione first but then, when he starts to warm up around her, he would soon ask her out. And, if you expect me to write something about their date, I'm sorry to disappoint you if you didn't find anything. I just have no idea what to write. Hahaha! Anyway, thanks for the awesome review!

**Hermione'sBFF454****: **Awww, hahaha. Thanks for the compliment. And thank you for reviewing! :D

**The Jazzled Author****: **Yeah, I also have a bit of fascinations towards fan fictions which are based or remind me of 'A Walk to Remember'. Read it, honey! I mean, I bawled my eyes out after finishing the book! Oh, I'm not really a fan of Twilight (sorry) but my most favorite pair in that book is Jasper x Alice, too! Thanks for the awesome review!

**samxlove****: **Wow, you're the first reviewer who didn't beg me to make Hermione take the medications. I mean… wow. Anyway, thanks for the review!

**Gryfferin Princess****: **Hahaha, and my reviewers deserve the 'happiness, care, and love' I give! And PLATYPUS?! Seriously! That's downright HILARIOUS, sweetie! AND GRIZZLY BEAR! God, what if Hermione really called James 'Grizzly Bear'? HAHAHA! And what's with the evil laugh?! :p Hahaha! Hmm… I wonder what your guess is about Hermione's number one… And don't worry, I love loooong reviews! Thanks for giving me one!

**Erilin-chan****: **Ah, yes, I like the contradiction, too. That's why Draco blew up in the first part of the chapter "James Moore". Anyway, thanks for the awesome review!

**WOW… I mean, really… WOW!!! A total of 38 reviews! That's so awesome! I feel so loved! Thanks for all those who feel so happy with my updates to the point that they'll give me reviews (or LONG reviews, if they feel happier) Hahaha. **

**By the way, I'm almost done typing the Epilogue… yes, dear readers, you read right – The Epilogue. There will be another chapter after this before the epilogue; so basically, there will be two chapters more. I can't believe I'm going to end this story soon! I mean, it seemed like yesterday when I decided to open a Math notebook and write all the ideas and outlines. **

**Hugs and kisses to all of you!**

**With love,  
2booklover4**


	13. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Not yours. Only JK Rowling's.**

**A/N: So, here's my update. For all those who kept on asking me what Hermione's first goal is, here's my answer. Enjoy reading! :D Oh, before that, the italicized part is a flashback, okay? Good, now enjoy reading! **

**

* * *

****Chapter Twelve: Good News, Bad News  
**

Hermione smiled at the mirror, showing her pearly white teeth. After making sure that there were no plaques or unwanted materials stuck between them, she twirled around and sighed.

The brunette then emerged from her bathroom, yawning and stretching her arms in the process. It was way past her bedtime. She had been so immersed in reading one of her favorite books again that she hadn't noticed as the clock ticked past eleven pm.

She passed her slightly opened wardrobe, revealing some of her past Healer robes. The brunette paused, walked towards her wardrobe and closed it. A smile formed on her face as she remembered her time working at St. Mungo's. She also remembered dear James Moore who continued to visit her. They would also occasionally go out for breakfast, lunch, or dinner together. Sometimes, Draco would tag along. Fortunately, the two men were tolerating each other and no longer acted like a bunch of five-year-olds fighting every five minutes.

Speaking of Draco, Hermione hadn't seen him in a week. She was quite worried. She had owled him seven times but he hadn't responded. Hermione had wanted to apparate to his house but had been too busy to even consider it seriously. She had owled Narcissa, though, and was surprised to hear that Draco had fallen ill.

_DING DONG._

The brunette jumped in surprise. _'Wow, who would visit me in the middle of the night?' _she asked. Grinning, she guessed it was Draco and raced down the stairs. She grabbed her red robe that was draped on one of her couches and threw it over her shoulders.

After securely tying the lace into a bow, Hermione flung the door open. "Ferre..." The words died in her mouth when her brain caught up enough to scream 'definitely not Draco!' "Dr. Nobleman!" she exclaimed after composing herself. "What brings you here?! It is after eleven!"

Dr. Nobleman looked slightly grim, looking at his surroundings. Hermione had a feeling that he was trying to avoid her. "May I come in?" he asked softly.

"Oh, silly me!" she said, chuckling to herself. "Sorry for being rude, Dr. Nobleman. Of course you may come in." She stepped to the side, allowing Dr. Nobleman to go inside the house. "Please, do sit down," she said, gesturing to her empty couch. "Do you want something to drink? Coffee? Tea? Juice? Water? I have anything."

The Muggle doctor raised his right hand to stop Hermione from talking. "I'm fine, Miss Granger," he said. "Please, do sit down. I have an important matter to discuss with you."

Hermione looked surprised. "Okay," she said, plopping down on the plush armchair opposite Dr. Nobleman. She gulped as sweat formed on her forehead. "W-what is it?" She looked up, eyes immediately connecting with the doctor's electric blue orbs. "Is this… is this something to do with my… my cancer?"

Dr. Nobleman pursed his lips. "As a matter of fact, it is," he answered slowly.

The brunette blinked, unconsciously curling her hands into fists. "What is it?" she asked, suddenly becoming nervous.

The doctor heaved a huge breath, suddenly looking very old and wary. "I am utterly sorry, Miss Granger," he softly said… pleadingly.

"What? What is it?" she asked, suddenly frantic. Tears started to form in the corner of her eyes. "I only had one coughing fit! Just one! Am I going to die soon?!"

He sighed and shook his head warily. "Oh no, Miss Granger, no," he said.

Hermione's eyes widened. "What do you mean?" she asked. "It's March, Dr. Nobleman. The symptoms of my lung cancer have started to show. I kept them from Draco of course. The tiredness, feeling sick and the coughing fit..."

He rummaged inside his pocket and pulled out an envelope. Hermione caught a glimpse of her name written on it. "Remember the reason why your results were delayed, Miss Granger?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, nodding slowly. "There was a great uproar… a huge fire, and you had no choice but to put everything on hold."

"Quite right," he said. He mutely gave the paper to the brunette who clutched it with a shaky hand. "That was a hectic time. It was a huge fire, Miss Granger. A very huge one, I tell you. And it made all of us workers, even the patients, panicky. I left my office as soon as I heard the fire alarm." He looked up and caught Hermione's brown eyes. "I was in the midst of sealing the letter of your results."

Hermione gingerly opened the letter tightly clutched in both of her hands.

"I had other patients before you," he continued. "And surprisingly, there was also another Hermione who went to my office earlier than you to have her check-up."

The brunette's breath hitched as she stared at the words written on the paper. "No way…" she said, raising her head to stare at Dr. Nobleman disbelievingly, tears still streaming down her face.

"I am truly sorry," he said sincerely. "_You_ do not have lung cancer at all, Miss Granger. In fact, you are perfectly healthy. A few days ago, this other Hermione, Hermione Mason, came back to my office to have another check-up."

Hermione audibly gasped.

"It turned out that she has lung cancer. I had just received the results from the laboratory," Dr. Nobleman gravely said. "Her symptoms started to show yesterday. She was surprised with the things happening to her body. She had thought ever since January that she was perfectly healthy. And so, knowing that she has lung cancer made her surprised."

He looked up and stared at Hermione apologetically. "It made me realized that I had given her the wrong results," he softly whispered. "It made me realized that I had probably given _you _the wrong results as well. I must have accidentally switched both of your results in my haste to escape the fire. Miss Granger, you are perfectly fine and healthy."

Dr. Nobleman pursed his lips and took a deep breath. "When you came in for the results, I was supposed to give you a CT scan, but you left before I had the chance. I couldn't contact you because my old notebook which contained some of your information got burned in the fire. I was using a new notebook when I told you about the wrong result."

Silence ensued. The only thing that was heard was the crickets outside Hermione's house.

And then, suddenly, she burst into loud tears.

Alarmed, Dr. Nobleman approached the crying brunette and sat down beside her. "I'm sorry, Miss Granger, I am so, so sorry," he consoled, gingerly patting one of her arms.

Hermione banged one of her fists against the arm of her chair and wailed. "I don't have cancer!" she cried, softly hiccupping. "Oh my God... I don't have cancer..."

"Yes, yes, that's right," the doctor murmured, running a hand against her arm for comfort.

"You… you…" she spluttered, pointing a finger at Dr. Nobleman. "You made me believe that I had cancer! You made me believe that I was dying! Oh God, I even made a list of the things I wanted to do before I die, damn it! I thought that I was dying when I started getting tired! I thought that my life was coming to an end!"

Dr. Nobleman enveloped Hermione into a gentle hug. "There, there, Miss Granger," he whispered comfortingly. "I'm so sorry. Truly sorry. This is good news to you, though. Am I right?"

She vigorously nodded her head. "Yes, yes, good news," she sobbed. Suddenly, she jerked and pulled her head away from Dr. Nobleman. "Draco!" she exclaimed. "He needs to know this!" She stood and ran upstairs towards her bedroom, leaving the bewildered (yet guilty) Muggle doctor behind.

He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Dr. Nobleman stood up and strode out of Hermione's house, guessing that he wouldn't be needed anymore.

"I think I should resign soon," he said, releasing a huge sigh. "I'm getting too old for this drama. And I've made mistakes before. I think it is best if I prevent it from happening again by resigning."

**

* * *

**_Draco paced in front of the door. Once again, he found himself in the hospital where Hermione took her annual check-up. The difference, though, was that it wasn't Hermione who was going to have her medical check-up. It was him._

_Hermione wasn't with him. She would have waited patiently on one of the benches as she frustratingly watched the blond pacing back and forth. But no. Draco had decided against the brunette's presence a few minutes ago. So now, here he was, back at the same muggle hospital, alone. His hands were buried in the front pockets of his muggle jeans, nervousness evident on his face._

_He was feeling guilty for not asking Hermione to come with him. But then again, he was afraid of her reaction once she discovered the real reason for his visit._

_Last night, when everything was quiet and dark, coughs had racked his body. He had tried to muffle the sounds so that they wouldn't wake anyone. It was then that he had discovered that he was long overdue for a medical._

_Blood…_

_It had made Draco afraid, as much as he wanted to deny it. But, seeing blood after coughing was never normal._

_Draco was a Healer, but then, muggle maladies and illnesses were never his forte. He had a feeling that the things he was feeling right now were something muggle._

_The door suddenly burst open, revealing a middle-aged, female doctor wearing rectangular glasses. She quite resembled Draco's past teacher, Professor Minerva McGonagall, with the stern look and a no-nonsense aura swirling around her body._

"_Mister Malfoy, I believe," she said, sounding curt and serious. "You are ten minutes late and I presumed that you wouldn't show up at all. I'm surprised that you're here, waiting outside my office door. Did you just arrive?"_

_Draco sheepishly smiled and gulped. __**'Better lie,'**__ he told himself as he nodded his head slowly. "Y-yes… I'm sorry for being late. There was traffic… you know."_

_The stern doctor, Dr. Lucia Montgomery, looked like she didn't believe the blond. But nonetheless, she stepped aside and gestured the blond towards her office._

_The Malfoy heir crossed her threshold gingerly and walked inside, looking around as if he was a lost child._

"_Well, what are you waiting for?" Dr. Montgomery snapped. "Please, do sit down."_

"_Yes, yes, sorry," he hastily said, plopping down on an identical replica of the stiff chair from Dr. Nobleman's office. He bumped his arm in the process, cringing. Apparently, the swell that had showed a few days ago which resulted for him bumping against his huge wardrobe was still there._

"_Now," Dr. Montgomery started, sitting down on her own comfy chair._

_Draco glared at it. __**'How come the doctors are able to sit down on comfy chairs while their patients have to suffer?'**__ he asked himself. The blond watched as the female doctor retrieved a filler notebook and scanned it. "Hmm… Draco Malfoy… twenty-five-years-old… attended a boarding school in Scotland… salutatorian, impressive" – she shot him an amused look when the blond broke into a wide smirk – "… and a criminologist?"_

_Draco grinned. He had copied Hermione's lie when he was asked to state his profession. "Yes," he said. "I'm a criminologist."_

"_Hmm…" she said, scanning her notebook again. After a few minutes, she looked up at him again. "Your reason for this appointment is to have a blood check-up, am I correct?"_

_The blond nodded. "Yes," he said. "Right."_

"_And your reason is?" Dr. Montgomery asked._

_Draco gulped visibly and scratched the back of his neck. "I coughed up… I coughed up…" He paused and took a deep breath, eyes now staring intently at the doctor across from him. "I coughed up… blood."_

_Dr. Montgomery didn't look surprised at all. "I see," she said, scanning her notebook again. She stood up, and opened one cabinet. She retrieved a syringe with a very sharp needle (resembling the one that Hermione received a few months ago) and walked towards the blond._

_She injected it, getting a sample of his blood. After she was done, she grabbed white, clean cotton and pressed it against the small hole now gracing his pale arm._

"_That is all," she said. "Your results would be given to you as soon as possible. I will give you a call for you to know the appointed date."_

_Draco stood up and nodded his head. "Thank you, Dr. Montgomery," he said, shaking her hand gently. With that, he turned around and walked out of her office._

**

* * *

**_Draco received Dr. Lucia Montgomery's call three days after his medical check-up. And he had been asked to come in and see her. Immediately. And so, he had hurried over._

_He pursed his lips and took a deep breath. Whatever his results were, he would take it with all his heart, mind, and soul. But still, he couldn't help but cross his fingers. He hoped it was nothing at all… that the blood he coughed up was because of some rotten food he had eaten. __**'Do you cough up blood when you eat rotten food?'**__ he mused, turning the doorknob._

_As usual, he found himself back in Dr. Montgomery's office. The middle-aged woman was seated on her usual chair and looked up once hearing Draco's footsteps. "Mr. Malfoy, what a surprise," she said. "I expected you to be quite late again."_

"_I'm sorry for that," he said, fidgeting slightly on his seat. "It was really because of traffic, I swear."_

_Dr. Montgomery waved a dismissive hand and stacked up all of her paperwork. Now, the only thing left clutched by the muggle doctor was a white envelope – Draco's results. It was similar to the envelope Dr. Nobleman had given Hermione._

"_So…" the blond started, twiddling his thumbs nervously. "What's the verdict?"_

_The female doctor released a rueful sigh and handed Draco the envelope containing his results. "I am sorry…"_

_Even though his doctor still hadn't finished her sentence, he instantly knew that something was wrong with him. He instantly knew that the words written on the paper inside the envelope he was clutching right now were bearing very, very bad news. "Something bad, eh?" he asked, strangely numb and calm._

"_Worse," the doctor corrected. "Much, much worse." She straightened her back and looked directly at the blond. "You have cancer, Mister Malfoy. I still do not know where and so, I'm going to order an emergency CT scan. It will give us the information where your cancer currently is."_

_**Cancer**__. The malignant disease that would soon spread in the body. __**Cancer**__. The most hated word in the modern dictionary. __**Cancer**__. The deadly disease that resided in Hermione Granger's lungs._

"_Cancer," he said, slightly breathless. He couldn't believe it. He was a Healer, for goodness' sake! And he knew that it was rare for Pureblooded witches and wizards to get cancer. But… that didn't mean that there weren't any records of Pureblooded wizards who got afflicted with the damnable disease._

"_I'm sorry," Dr. Montgomery repeated, a hand now perched gently on top of the blond's right arm. For a few moments, Draco saw her stern look melt and be replaced by a friendly look that he would always associate with his mother. "This is quite shocking to you, Mister Malfoy, but I am truly sorry."_

_Draco heaved a huge breath. "How long?"_

"_Pardon?" she asked._

"_How long will I live?" he softly asked._

_Dr. Montgomery pursed her lips into a thin line. "It actually depends on the result of your CT scan, but six months is the average."_

'_**Six months,'**__ he thought, his hands now starting to get clammy. "Six months."_

"_Yes," she said, now standing up. She clutched her filler notebook and pointedly looked at the blond. "Please follow me, Mister Malfoy. I will lead you to radiology."_

_Draco obliged and shakily followed Dr. Montgomery out of her office._

**

* * *

**Draco stared blankly at the result of his CT scan. He was in his bedroom, sitting on top of his bed. His head was leaning against the headboard as he continued to stare at the result. It was a black and white image of his lungs and on his right lung; a small tumor was blatantly staring at him. It was small, but nevertheless, it was cancerous.

And so, Draco Malfoy had lung cancer.

The radiologist was surprised to detect lung cancer through the CT scan. He said that detecting lung cancer at a very early stage would be rare. And so, it only meant one thing – his lung cancer was on the late stage already.

Dr. Montgomery had also explained to him that there were three stages of lung cancer: stage one wherein the cancer is detected in the lungs, stage two wherein the cancer had spread all throughout the patient's chest; and stage three wherein the cancer is throughout the whole body. She told him that he was already on the late stage of stage two lung cancer. To prove her detection, Draco was given another set of results showing the other parts of his chest and carcinogens were there with some small, cancerous tumors.

'_It's hard to treat,'_ Dr. Montgomery answered. Draco thanked her because she was being blunt to him. She even told him that a month or so, if the cancer didn't leave him, it would shift to stage three, making him a terminal patient.

Sighing, he placed the results beside his bed, away from his sight. He had been locked up in his house for a week now. Hermione had sent him letters but he never replied to them. Narcissa even sent him a letter but only replied that he was too sick to even go out of his house. He had expected Hermione to burst one day into his room to see if he was all right and all. But of course, his best friend was a busy body and so, he knew that she was doing some other things.

Hermione… now, they both had lung cancer. It was strange. It even made Draco consider the possibility that lung cancer was contagious. But, he knew better. Dr. Montgomery told him that his cancer had been residing in his body for at least a year ago. The symptoms were quite the same with some other maladies. The symptoms only showed a month ago. It surprised the blond to discover that the neck tenderness he often felt and the stubborn swell on his arm were symptoms. Dr. Montgomery explained to him that out of 100 plus lung cancer patients, only five percent of them have the major symptoms of a tender neck and swelling on the arms and legs.

Draco sighed. He always thought that the pain on his neck and the stubborn swell on his arm was nothing at all. He didn't know that it was an indicator that something sinister had taken hold over his body.

Dr. Montgomery had told him that neck tenderness and swelling on the arms and legs as a sign of lung cancer wasn't common knowledge at all and that the blond should not blame himself for not spotting it earlier.

Sighing, the blond lay down on his bed and pulled his comforter up to his chin. His eyes stared at his white ceiling with only one thought running in his mind – he was going to die. Dr. Montgomery reassured him that there was still a possibility of curing his cancer. But then again, she also told him it was hard to treat. There was only a ten percent possibility of going into remission. And so, he politely declined taking chemotherapy.

It was not because he was hopeless. Oh no. He knew his reason deep, deep down in his heart. Like Hermione, he would die soon. And strangely, that made him happy. Without Hermione Granger, his life would be way harder than having cancer in his body. So, why not follow, too?

Suicide never crossed his mind, no. But, this lung cancer was a perfect opportunity to be with Hermione forever and ever. He knew that even if he was healthy and Hermione died, he should still continue living for her and wait for his final day to come. But, those days would be absolutely _unbearable_. Like what he had thought earlier, a life without Hermione was like having cancer in his system.

He shifted on his bed, his face now facing his window. He released a huge yawn before plastering a small smile on his face. He was about to close his eyes when suddenly, his bedroom door burst open. Surprised, he sat up almost immediately.

The intruder switched on his lights immediately, momentarily blinding him. But once he adjusted his eyes to the bright light, Hermione materialized. She was wearing her usual night pajamas.

"Draco!" she exclaimed, approaching him hastily and sitting down on his bed just in front of him. "I have good news! And, oh Merlin, you'll absolutely be happy!"

He raised an eyebrow, amused. "Hermione, seriously? Why didn't you wait for the morrow to come?" he said.

"No! I can't wait to tell you!" she exclaimed ecstatically. Her smile then slightly faltered upon seeing the state of his appearance clearly. "But before that… how have you been?" She raised her right hand and pressed it gently against his forehead. "Narcissa owled me and told me you were sick. I'm sorry for not visiting you as soon as possible. But seriously, are you all right?"

The blond grinned. "Never been better," he assured her, slightly ruffling her hair. "Merlin, Granger, I'm a human, too. I get sick."

The brunette just stuck out her tongue at him. "I was just asking," she retorted back.

"Yeah, yeah," he said. A frown then suddenly appeared on his face. He placed his right hand beside her cheek and rubbed the place below her eye. "You were crying," he pointed out. "Why is that? Is there something wrong?"

Hermione shook her head vigorously. "No, no," she said. "Tears of joy."

"Eh?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Now, please do tell me what your good news is if you don't want me to die because of curiosity."

The brunette broke into a wide grin and held up three fingers. "Three guesses," she said.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Too exhausted," he said, releasing another yawn. "Just tell me, Beaver, damn it. I'm tired."

Hermione smile faltered. "Fine," she said. She pursed her lips and looked around the blond's room at first. Finally, her eyes rested back at him. To his surprise, they showed genuine happiness. "Dr. Nobleman came to my house a few hours ago."

He raised an eyebrow. "Eh?" he asked. "At this time of night?"

"He told me something important, Draco," she pointed out. "If he made me choose, I'd rather hear this announcement of his today than tomorrow."

"Announcement?" he asked.

Hermione then looked serious. "Draco, I'm not sick," she said.

The blond rolled his eyes once again. "You don't look like you have a fever to me, Granger," he said.

The brunette shook her head, a smile slowly growing on her face. "No, not that kind of sickness, Ferret," she said. She pulled out an envelope from the pocket of her shorts and showed it to the blond. "Dr. Nobleman told me he gave me the wrong results of my medical check-up. He told me that… that I'm perfectly healthy after all. Apparently, because of this huge fire on the week when he was arranging my results, he interchanged my results with another patient of his who has lung cancer. He only discovered it when that said patient went back to his office only to be given the correct diagnosis."

Draco froze, grey eyes intently staring at the beautiful brunette seated in front of him. "W-what?" he stuttered before clearing his throat.

"Draco," she said, now grinning brightly, "I don't have cancer. I won't _die_… yet, of course. But still, I don't have _lung cancer_. It's good news, isn't it?"

"Oh," the blond said, blinking rapidly. "Yeah. Good news. Cool."

Hermione's smile instantly disappeared. A confused look replaced it on her face. "Aren't you… aren't you happy for me?" she asked, surprised with his reaction. "I… I honestly thought that you would be hugging me by now, you know." And then, she flashed him another smile.

Draco had to look away. At the corner of his eyes, he saw Hermione's surprised expression.

"Are you honestly okay?" she asked, now in a small whisper. Her right hand gingerly touched his cheek and turned his head so he was now facing her once again. "Draco, look at me. Are you all right?"

The blond blinked before meeting her brown eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked, concern and alarm evident in her voice. Her hand traveled to the back of his neck and rubbed it for comfort. "Draco, you're acting weird. What is wrong? Don't tell me… you're not happy I'll be able to spend more time with you."

"Hermione," he finally said, voice sounding desperate… anguished. "I… I'm glad you're going to live longer. Merlin, you have no idea how happy I am for you."

Hermione made a small smile.

"But…"

Her smile faltered.

"But…" Pausing, he took a huge breath and looked directly at Hermione's eyes. "But… you have to know this."

"What?" she asked, suddenly feeling slightly afraid.

"I… I took a medical check-up last Monday, that was why you haven't seen me," he started.

"And then?"

"And then… and then, a female doctor, Dr. Lucia Montgomery, took a sample of my blood," he continued, almost inaudibly.

"Why did you go to the doctor?" she asked, suspicious and afraid. "You're a Healer, Draco. Surely, you'll be able to immediately know what you're illness is. Surely -"

"Hermione, I coughed up _blood_," he said, cutting her off mid-sentence.

Hermione froze, mouth open widely. "You… _you what_?"

"I coughed up blood," he repeated. "That was why I went to the doctor for a medical check-up. Coughing out blood isn't normal at all… even in the wizarding world."

"Wh-what's the result?"

Draco looked away from Hermione towards his bedroom window. "I received the result of my blood test three days after that," he continued. "And… they detected… cancer."

Hermione's eyes widened. "No…"

"They made me take the CT scan thing," he said, still determined not to look at his best friend. "And that's when they discovered it is in my lungs… I have lung cancer, Hermione. But the carcinogens, or whatever you call them, are now scattered around my chest. Dr. Montgomery told me it will be hard to treat so I refused to undergo chemotherapy."

Silence followed. Hermione was staring at the blond who was determinedly staring at his bedroom window. And then, the brunette burst into laughter… soft, nervous laughter.

"April Fools!" she exclaimed, still laughing nervously. "Even if it's still March, that joke of yours is still funny, Malfoy."

Draco's head snapped back at the brunette. He met her brown eyes, _misting_ brown eyes, and softly said, "I am not kidding, Hermione."

The brunette stopped her pretense and soon, tears started to gather at the corner of her eyes. "Stop joking, Draco. It's not funny anymore," she said, blinking back her tears.

"Hermione, _listen_," he whispered, placing a hand on her right shoulder. "I'm not…"

"NO!" she exclaimed, shrugging his hand off her shoulder. She stood up, tears pouring down her face. "No. NO! That's preposterous… absurd! No!" The brunette started to pace back and forth, her right knuckle in between her teeth to stop herself from sobbing hysterically.

Draco stood up and tried to approach the crying brunette but she held up her free hand, halting him. He watched as the brunette freed her knuckles from her mouth and then sat down at the only free corner in his room – under his bedroom window. She hugged her knees close to her chest and buried her head in between them. That was when she started to cry soundly, though, slightly muffled.

"That's not fair!" she cried, also a little muffled. "Not fair, Draco! That's not fair!"

His mask of calmness broke completely. Instead, on his face, was a complete look of pain. His heart broke for the brunette. One minute, he was quite happy with the fact that he had lung cancer so that as soon as Hermione died, he could follow without thinking of killing himself. But now, now that he discovered that his best friend didn't have any illness at all, he wanted to curse Merlin for making him sick, instead.

Slowly, the blond sat down on his carpeted floor, too, just a few inches away from the crying brunette. He sat down, Indian Style, and leaned his head against the wall. "I'm sorry," he whispered, closing his eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"You're just like them," she spluttered, face still buried on her knees. "You're going to leave me _just like them_."

The blond sighed while slowly opening his eyes. He looked at Hermione warily and frowned. "Now, you know what I felt when I first discovered you had … _'had' cancer_," he said, attempting to joke. That only made Hermione's cries louder. "_Hermione_," he said, scooting slightly closer but still not touching Hermione. "I thought… _I thought_ that He answered my prayers by giving me lung cancer, too."

"_You want to have cancer?!_' the brunette screeched, lifting her heads and directing her red rimmed eyes towards the blond.

"But, that was before I discovered that you don't have lung cancer!" he exclaimed back, feeling defensive. "God, Granger, do you honestly think that _I _want _you_ to leave me?! I have to be with you. I want to be with you. _I need to be with you!_"

The brunette sobbed and looked away from him. "And now, guess what? You're absolutely wrong!" she cried, banging one clenched fist against the carpeted floor. "_You_ are going to leave _me_!"

Draco sighed and closed his eyes once again. She was right after all. _He_ was going to leave_ her_. Soon, maybe. He didn't know if he should agree that he was being unfair to her. He didn't ask for himself to have cancer, for heaven's sake! But still, Hermione was right. He, like Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, was going to leave her.

He moved, this time stopping in front of the brunette and without hesitating, pulled her towards his body. "Hush, love, please don't cry," he whispered softly against her ears while rubbing small circles on her back for comfort.

Hermione's hands were now tightly clenching the front material of his shirt, head buried on her shoulder. "You can't die," she murmured. "You can't die and leave me… _please, don't leave me, too_."

The blond kissed her forehead and wiped away the tears from her eyes. As he stared at her eyes, a jolt of electricity ran down his spine – bravery. He felt bravery. He had no idea how that had happened. All he knew was that if he didn't say _it_ right now, he would have lost his one last chance. Funny how this sickness of his made him do it. And so, breathing deeply, he held her gaze. It was time to be - as much as he wanted to gag in disgust – a _Gryffindo_r. "Hermione," he said, affectionately rubbing her cheek. "Do you want to know something more absurd than me having cancer?"

The brunette just pursed her lips and continued to cry.

Sighing, Draco wiped one tear using his thumb. "Granger… Beaver… _Hermione_," he started, smiling at all the names he had called her for six years. "I… I love you. And no, not the brotherly love thing… not the best friend love thing… but I love you. I'm _in love_ with you. I have been for ... for years now."

Hermione's eyes widened and she blinked rapidly. Her jaw slightly dropped as she searched his eyes. A sob then escaped her lips upon seeing no hint of humor in his eyes. Just sadness. And love. "I knew it," she cried, running the back of her right hand across her eyes.

"You did?" he asked, surprised.

"Draco, do you honestly think I never noticed your hints?" she asked, sniffling softly. "We've… we've known each other for years now. And I'm sure you know that Hermione Granger is always over-analyzing things… surely, you know that Hermione Granger notices things that some normal people don't."

The blond slightly grinned. "I love you," he repeated, thumb gently caressing her cheek. "So, so much. What do you… what do you feel about me?" He sounded small and insecure, like a guilty child waiting for his mother to reply after he had just admitted to eating a cookie before dinner.

Hermione closed her eyes and cried. "I… I…" she muttered.

"What?" he asked, his voice sounding hoarse. "What, Hermione? Please, tell me. _Please_. I need to know."

The brunette opened her eyes and stared into his grey ones. But then, she soon looked away after releasing a broken sigh. "I… can't."

"Why?" the blond asked, now gripping her shoulders firmly, yet gently.

"I… I just can't," she sobbed, covering her face with both of her hands. She cried harder, slightly muffled by her hands.

Draco, strangely determined, pulled her hands away from her face. He bent down and captured her lips with his. At first, Hermione was surprised, and thus, she wasn't responding. But soon, she surprised the blond when she kissed him back.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. She, on the other hand, snaked her hands around his neck and kissed him, finally sharing all of the sexual tension that had build up between them.

The kiss was sweet. But because of Hermione's tears, it tasted quite salty. But nevertheless, it was bliss… _pure bliss_.

The blond pulled her closer, if it was even possible. The first two kisses they had shared might had been an accident; something they didn't expect to happen. But this kiss… their third kiss, it was unexplainable. It was just _wonderful_. And of course, _magical_.

But then, the brunette gently pushed him away, breaking their sweet kiss in the process. Draco looked stunned, but then, tried to pull her back to him for more, but the brunette abruptly stood up and backed away from him.

"I… I'm going home," she sputtered. She struggled with the words because of her uncontrollable crying.

"No, please, no," the blond said, standing up, too. He slowly walked towards the brunette. He was afraid that if he ran towards her, he would freak her out and make her want to go back to her apartment more.

"G'night, Draco," she whispered, now slowly approaching his bedroom door. But then, Draco gently grabbed her right arm and swirled her around so that she would be looking at him.

"Hermione," he said, ignoring her slight attempt of pulling her arm away from his hands. "Hermione, _please_." The brunette stopped struggling and sighed in defeat. Her eyes locked up into his. "I just have to know something."

"I told you I can't - ."

"No, not that," he said. He was quite miffed with the fact that she didn't answer his previous question. It was common courtesy to answer a question after all. "I want to know… I want to know what your first goal is. You haven't told me, remember?"

Hermione looked surprised. She wasn't expecting that. But then, she looked at the carpeted floor and sighed. "Does it matter?" she asked in a soft whisper. "What's the point of doing it when I'm not going to die any time soon? I can do it someday."

Draco placed a finger under her chin and lifted it up. Now, she was looking directly at his eyes. "It matters to me," he whispered. "Remember, I promised that I would help you complete your list."

The brunette closed her eyes warily and released a soft sigh. "My first goal," she said, opening her eyes again, "my first goal is… _I want to get married_."

The blond looked surprised. But then, a small smile plastered itself onto his lips. "I can help you with that," he whispered.

"No you can't," she said, looking away from him. "You can't help me."

"I can," he protested, making her look at him again. "Hermione, listen. I made a list, too."

Hermione raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"The list is entitled _'The One Thing I Want to Do Before I Die'_," he said, his smile growing. "And you want to know what the only thing is on my list?"

The brunette nodded, now completely pulling her arm away from his grip. Apparently, he had loosened his grip.

He looked at her lovingly, "_1. I want to marry Hermione Granger_."

Hermione eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She watched as he unclasped the necklace around his neck and slid a ring off of it. She watched as the blond knelt down on one knee and gazed up at her adoringly. She jolted when his hand grabbed her right hand gently.

"I told you I've been in love with you for years now, Hermione," he said. "And I admit, I was planning to propose to you for the last three years but I just can't bring myself to pop the big question. I was a coward, I know. That's why I deserve to be in Slytherin rather than you're prided House, Gryffindor." He tightened his grip upon seeing new tears streaming down from her eyes. "It's funny how I confessed I love you and propose to you on the same day. This must be the most _unromantic _proposal you had ever heard or seen or read. And this must be the _lamest_ speech you have ever heard or seen or read. But here I am now. I mustered up all of my courage because I'm afraid that if I don't do it now, I'll never have a chance to."

The brunette closed her eyes and started to breathe heavily.

"Hermione Granger, will you make me the happiest man here on Earth for the remaining time of my life and marry me," Draco finished, whispering his question almost inaudibly. But of course, Hermione had heard it.

She then slowly opened her eyes and tears continuously fell. A sob managed to escape and the next thing Draco knew, the brunette was kneeling in front of him, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck. "I… I've been waiting for that a-all along!" she sobbed, pressing kisses around the blond's face.

His face relaxed in relief as a huge smile broke into his face. "Does that mean 'yes'?" he asked, already feeling quite ecstatic.

Hermione stared directly at his and nodded vigorously. "Yes… YES!" she exclaimed. "You bastard! Why did you just ask me now? I've waited for that all along. God, I even thought that the ring you always wore around your neck was for me!"

His eyes enlarged. "You've noticed!" he exclaimed disbelievingly. He pulled the brunette away from him, though his hands were firmly clutching her shoulders. "You've noticed the ring and you never asked!"

"Why would I?" she cried. "Then you'll think I'd been hoping for some proposal from you… I'm hopeless... whatsoever… you'll think I'm - ."

"Hermione," he said, grinning widely. "You're babbling."

"Of course I know, and I don't care but y-oomph." She didn't have the chance to continue her sentence since the blond briefly kissed her lips, a teasing smile plastered on his face.

"Merlin, here I am, thinking you are so hopelessly clueless of my feelings for you," he started. "I never thought that I'm the more clueless one here, thinking that you never returned my feelings."

Hermione smiled and kissed his forehead.

He groaned and placed his head on her shoulder. The blond wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and sighed. "I've waited for this," he whispered.

"I've waited for this, too," she whispered, burying her nose on top of his blond head. "I've waited for this and I'm frightened this will end soon."

"Don't say that," he pleaded, voice slightly muffled. "The future is unpredictable, Hermione. Why don't we just enjoy the present with each other."

The tears came back to her, full blast, and hugged him tighter. "I don't want to lose you," she softly whispered.

Draco's only answer was the coughs that started to attack his body. Alarmed, Hermione pulled away from his hug and dug her hand inside her pocket, searching for her handkerchief. Once she clutched it, she pulled it from her pocket and immediately pressed it against the blond's mouth.

Hermione gingerly rubbed his back. "It's all right," she whispered soothingly. "Come on. Breathe, Draco."

Soon, his coughs diminished. The blond pulled Hermione's handkerchief from his mouth and the brunette had to look away.

The Malfoy heir crumpled Hermione's bloodied handkerchief into his right fist. He grabbed his wand and burst it into flames until it completely disappeared. "I'm sorry," he said, seeing the pain written on the brunette's face.

Hermione looked back at him and sighed. She stood up while pulling him up in the process. "Come on," she said, "I think it's best for you to go to sleep now."

Draco nodded mutely and obliged, now lying down flat on his humongous bed. Hermione tucked him inside his red comforter.

"It's funny you're tucking me in now," the blond said, watching his new fiancée. "I used to do that job before, you know."

The brunette giggled despite her tears. "Yeah," she said. She straightened up and grabbed his stuffed toy beaver. She placed it beside him, earning a smile from the blond. "I better get going now."

Draco's smile faltered. "Why don't you stay here?" he asked.

Hermione thought for a moment before smiling. "Okay," she said. "I'll just ask Jinky to ready the usual guest room I - ."

"No," he said, softly laughing. "What I meant is why don't you stay here? _In my room?_"

"Oh," she said, laughing, too. "Okay."

Draco scooted to the left to give Hermione some room. The brunette slipped under his comforter and lied down beside him. Immediately, the blond's arms wrapped themselves around her. Smiling, Hermione scooted closer to him and buried her face against his chest.

"I can't believe I'm engaged to you," the brunette's muffled voice murmured against his chest.

The blond chuckled and kissed her hair. "Me neither," he whispered. "It's a nice feeling; to be engaged to someone you love."

Hermione gently smiled. "I love you," she whispered.

Draco just realized that she hadn't said that to him at all. And so, he pulled her face from his chest and placed a swift yet sweet kiss on her lips. "Me too," he answered back, earning a smile from the brunette. "Me too."

She sighed and closed her eyes, burying her face against his chest once again.

"Goodnight, Hermione," he said. "Sleep tight, love."

Hermione kissed his chest and sighed comfortably. "Don't let the bed bugs bite."

And with that, the two of them fell asleep.

_Together._

**

* * *

****Replies to Reviews (R-to-R, for short :D): **

**Hachiko06****: **Yeah, me neither. I'm not happy this story is about to end. And, thanks for thinking the previous chapter was 'beautiful'. :D I quite had a hard time typing that chapter. Hahaha. AND, glad you now understood this is a Dramione story. LOL! I'm sorry if the 'blood' part was difficult for you to understand. But, do you understand now? Anyway, thanks for the review!

**mentarisenja****: **You really want Hermione to see the engagement ring, do you? Hahaha, now you know Hermione really saw the ring around Draco's neck after all. AND, hehehe, well, I like cliffies (if I'm the author of that said story). Anyway, thanks for the review!

**GurlOfTheNight****: **Aww, I don't want this to end, too. But, I have no choice. The end is approaching. I'm so sorry if I'm gonna do that. Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

**The Jazzled Author****: **Yeah, I'm really planning on brining Neville into the story. HAHAHA. And now you know that Hermione, too, can see the ring around Draco's neck. Aww, and nice number one. If you checked my profile, I have goals there before I die. And my number one is to fall in love. Anyway, thanks for the review!

**fantasia-49****: **Hahaha, it's funny you think the threesome's date is not important. Aww, and please don't cry. You can punish me all you want (but of course, I wouldn't continue the story if you do that… cruel me). And now, you know that it wasn't Hermione who coughed up blood. Thanks for the review!

**Jika****: **And now, there will only be one more chapter left. And I do understand you. I like to find the ending of the stories I like, but in a way, I don't want it to end. And don't worry, see, I made Draco confess his feelings to Hermione. I made him propose, too! And please don't cry. :D Thanks for the review!

**Erilin-chan****: **Yeah, while typing the grave visits, I was on the verge of crying. And, Hermione won't die! So please don't send me those scary ninja teddy bears (even if I don't know how they look like)… hahaha. Thanks for the review!

**lrmorena****: **I had a hard time typing the grave visits, you know. I mean, even if I don't really like Ron that much, I like the friendship of the trio. And don't worry, every time I read fan fictions, too, I get too involved (especially if the scene was so sad and all). Hahaha, and you're the only one who reviewed to me about the last part (which was sexless). I honestly paused a bit before that word and thinking you might realize something important… LOL! And you are so right! I know some people who didn't take medications for cancer because they didn't want to prolong the agony. Thanks for the great review!

**bas1014****: **Aww, thank you for the compliment. And, I already got over the 'festering sore', don't worry. Anyway, I can't believe I'm almost finished, too. Thanks for the review!

**S. Hunter****: **Ugh, I wish I can read fan fictions in school, too :D And wow, you read from Epilogue to Chapter 11 since 10 in the morning to 2? Hahaha, NOW, I really wish to do that in school. Don't worry, dearie, I already got over the 'festering sore' thing. And, thank you for the compliment. I actually think that writing ins my only talent. Thanks for the review!

**Jazii26****: **Aww, thanks for the compliment :D And now, you already found out what Hermione's first goal is. Hahaha, and thanks for the reassurance. I was kinda worried that I haven't included the threesome's date in the last chapter. Thanks for the review!

**Cee M.****: **Yeah, that's Hermione's case. INTELLIGENT PEOPLE ARE REALLY DENSE!!! Hahaha, and thanks. I'm actually worried because I didn't include their date on the previous chapter. And, you're totally right. I think authors like long reviews. I mean, I'm happy whenever I receive one so sometimes I leave long reviews to stories I like to make them more inspired and all. And God, Math tests sucks. I mean, I love Math. But tests… they suck. I got a bloody low score in our final test (though, I didn't fail!!!) Hahaha, and your joke made me laugh. I'm sorry if I made Hermione cry and cry to the point of drowning XD And now you know what her number one is. And yeah, it's something to do with Draco. :D And who said the symptoms that showed in the previous chapter are Hermione's? Now you know it isn't. Thanks for the great review, sweetie!

**WhatDoYouDoWhenItAllFallsApart****: **Wow, so many 'nos'. Hahaha, I'm sorry if I have to end this story. After all, all things come to an end. And what would you do if I end this? Find an awesome Dramione story and tell me. I'll love to read it, too. I already have some plots formulating in my mind, though, I'm not sure if it would turn out as good as this story. Aww, and sorry if I'm making you frustrated because I have to end this. Thanks for the review, honey!

**bitchyhelly****: **I can leave a cliffhanger :p Sorry, if I love my story so much, I tend to leave some chapters with cliffhanger. Mean, I know. But that's just me. :D Thanks for the review!

**vernalequinox135****: **Aww, honey, please don't cry. But, hahaha, thanks for the compliment. I'm flattered, really. And of course you can post a link of some of my fan fictions. That would be great!!! So, if you do that, can you give me your LJ username so I can check it out :D It's so cool to know some Dramione fans out there, too :D And yeah, I'm sad that it's almost the end, too. Thanks for the review!

**meandevil: **As much as I want to do your request, I can't. I mean, I would love to add more chapters to this story BUT, what would I write? Hermione's list is done already. And then, there would be an Epilogue. But, I'm happy you're demanding for more :D Oh, and 'love ya', too. LOL! Thanks for the review!

**flamingbunnies****: **So now you know Dr. Nobleman really made a mistake. See, what you had hoped came true! Oh, and Wizard Angst was funny, too! And Wizard Swears! Did you see that already? I was laughing so loud while watching it. Anyway, thanks for the review!

**jessirose85****: **Aww, honey, nice suggestion but I can't do that. Yeah, what if Lucius and Draco were secretly working on a cure for her? Hahaha, sorry. Thanks for the review!

**Binxs1****: **Thanks for the compliments, honey! Even if the story's categorized as 'Drama', I want to lighten things up. Proofs are the situation between Draco and Neville. And of course, the playful banter between Draco and Hermione. Hahaha, and don't worry… MY WHOLE FAMILY looks at me weirdly every time I laugh out loud because of some funny scenes I found in some fan fictions. And of course, you're always welcome. Thank you for your great review!

**gitgit****: **Yes, dear, there is an epilogue. To know if it's a happy ending, wait for the next chapter :D And yeah, I also found the previous chapter sad. I mean, I had a hard time typing that chapter! And now you know that the room scene wasn't Hermione at all. Thanks for the review!

**mandita****: **Sorry, honey, I'm an author who loves cliffhangers. BUT, if I'm the reader, cliffhangers definitely suck. Anyway, thanks for the great review!

**rosepop: **Aww, thanks for the compliment. I greatly appreciated it. Oh, and Hermione's perfectly fine so that means I won't kill her. Now, can I get my cookie? Hahaha, anyway, thanks for the review!

**Hermione'sBFF454****: **Whoa, honey, calm down. See, I made Hermione well. As for lymphoma, I think it kinda sounds familiar. And dear, remember this, not all cancer patients are as lucky as you are. Anyway, thanks for the review!

**TMRC****: **Hurrah, I updated earlier than the weekends! Are you happy now, dear reader? And haha, I can feel the love, don't worry :D Anyway, thanks for the review!

**Roxie Black****: **IT TOTALLY AGREE!!! 'The one who suffers the most is the one who lives to remember the other person'. That was quite good, dearie. And hehe, if I were Hermione too, I would have jumped at him a long time ago. I mean, seriously. If a guy asks me that question, I would pass out right there and then (before kissing him, of course)… teehee. And, you now know Hermione's number 1. Are you satisfied with her first goal, dear reader? Thanks for the review!

**Inknerd: **It's cool I made you speechless… hehehe. And yeah, I love 'A Walk to Remember', too. C'mon! I've read it for the nth time but it still never fails to make me cry! And, here's Hermione's first goal! Do you like it? Anyway, thanks for the review!

**Gryfferin Princess****: **Wow, you really dislike James, eh? And, oh man, you know, it's kinda awkward for me to be called 'Miss'. I'm fourteen-years-old, for heaven's sake! And no, I'm not really following the FF's time. I mean, it's just coincidence that I started this story last January and Hermione took her medical check-up with Draco on January, too. Oh, and let me re-melt your heart! Hahaha, and yeah, the lines 'Aren't I enough?' and 'You're more than enough' are one of the sweetest lines I'd ever typed (I think). Hahaha, and I actually got over the 'festering sore' thing. And, it felt like yesterday when I just started posting the first chapter in FF. As always, thanks for the lovely, long review!

**LunaLovegood1117****: **I won't kill Hermione, I promise. I mean, how can I kill Hermione when she's perfectly fine? Aww, and please don't cry. It would be horrible for me, too. Anyway, thanks for the review!

**samxlove****: **Wow, feeling quite emo, eh? Hahaha, 'make Draco suicidal'. You're amazing, dude (… dudette, I mean :D). Anyway, thanks for your review!

**SlytherinPrincessVu****: **Hurrah, I did update sooner! I should update on Saturday or Sunday but I just feel like posting this chapter earlier. Anyway, thanks for the review!

**writersz cramp****: **Aww, I'm so sorry if you hate me (please don't punch your computer monitor! You're still not done reading! Hahaha). And calm down, honey. I won't kill Hermione. Aww, and thanks for reading this story even if you have a feeling it would end it a bloody tragic way. And yes, you're quite right. Who says life is fair? Anyway, thanks for your review!

**Umbridgeskitty****: **Yeah, the café part was pretty sad, right? And, now you know the symptoms from the last chapter are not Hermione's. Thanks for the review, by the way!

**redandblack 4eva****: **Hahaha, now you know that Hermione DOES notice the ring around Draco's neck. She's just… err… too shy to point it out. Anyway, thanks for the review!

**WinnieThaPoo92****: **Now, honey, one more chapter to go… Aww, and thanks for telling me the last part of the previous chapter was perfect. Hahaha, and yeah, Draco's more than enough. As for your question, why don't you wait for the next chapter? Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

**CookieMonsterxx3****: **Okay, honey, BREATHE!!! Hahaha, anyway, thanks for your review!

**(Someone Anonymous): **Aww, honey, dry your tears! Quick! I don't really like it when some of my readers are crying. It makes me sad, too, you know. Aww, and like what I've placed ever since the first chapter, even wizards and witches (most especially muggle-borns) can be afflicted with cancer… okay, so I totally made that up but still… Anyway, thanks for your review!

**.Poisoned Scarlet.****: **Sorry, I really get carried away. Sometimes, I like putting cliffies. Anyway, before I end this reply, what's with 'Panda'. Hahaha, you've been my reviewer ever since the story started (I think) and I always get curious because of the word 'Panda' after your review. Anyway, thanks for the review!

**pepperluck****: **Thank you for loving my stories (even though I think some of them sucks). And, isn't that what the goal of some authors are? To make their characters realistic? As for your request, I'm gonna think about it. I was having a hard time typing the part about the threesome's date so I decided not to include in the previous chapter. If you want me to post a one-shot, I'm gonna try. 'A Walk to Remember' is really one of my most favorite books ever. Aww, and thank you. By some miracle (like what you are hoping), Hermione's completely fine. :D Thanks for your compliments and your review!

**WHOA. **

**Once again, I received 38 reviews from the previous chapter. Thank you everybody! You really love me and of course, I love all of you, too. Flying kisses everywhere!**

**Now, about this chapter, I think some of you are probably plotting to dispatch me. Hahaha, I'm sorry. If some of you read my profile, you most probably read my comment about '11 Things'. AND, see, I said there will be a twist in this story. AND, Draco's sickness is the twist. **

**Now, I know you really want to kill me!!! GAH, even my dear beta reader's scolding me for making Draco sick! (hi, dearie, I still love you, don't worry). Her exact words in her last PM were 'And it looks like you are going to do what most of the readers want… not  
kill Hermione... if only they knew :)' Hahaha. I really do love that girl. **

**Anyway, I'm already done typing the epilogue. T-e-h is already in the process of editing my story (I think… since she has some tests and all).**

**So, that's all. I granted all of your wishes – not kill Hermione. :D But, I think I shocked all of you when I MADE Draco sick. So, the room scene in the previous chapter was actually him. On a brighter note, I MADE THEM ENGAGED. Aren't ya happy? :D  
**

**Anyway, that's all. I'll miss you all if I already posted the epilogue part. **

**That's all. CIAO FOR NOW!**

**Hugs and kisses,  
2booklover4 **


	14. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Not yours. Only JK Rowling's.**

**A/N: Ah, have no fear, the epilogue is here! Hahaha! Anyway, so this is the last part of '11 Things', people. **

**By the way, I dedicate this to my most beloved beta-reader,_ tiger-eye-heart_. Without her, some reviewers would still complain of some grammatical errors. Hahaha. I also dedicate this to_ kzel.05_ (HEY TWIN!) for giving me an idea of some things to put on the latter part of this story (though, she did this unconsciously through her last PM… Hahaha). And also, I dedicate this to all reviewers who loved me no matter what. I want to name all of you but… umm… too lazy to do that! LOL! Anyway, hugs and kisses to all of you. **

**Oh yeah, I almost forgot. The italicized parts are flashbacks, 'kay? Good.  
**

**And three… two… one… ENJOY!**

**

* * *

****Epilogue**

_Hermione stretched her arms above her head luxuriously while trudging towards their bedroom. It had been five months since she had become Hermione Malfoy._

_From the day after the blond's proposal, they never thought twice and immediately told the news to the blond's parents. To say that Narcissa was happy was the biggest understatement of the century. She was __**ecstatic**__ and kept on repeating again and again that she knew that this day would arrive soon. Lucius, on the other hand, politely congratulated them, though the brunette couldn't help but notice the twitching right corner of her future father-in-law's lips. They had a huge celebration in the huge dining room in the Malfoy Manor._

_As the brunette had predicted, the front cover of The Daily Prophet contained some details about the Malfoy heir finally asking the deceased hero's best friend's hand. What they didn't know was that Draco was sick. Narcissa and Lucius discovered about it the day after their wedding and Draco had predicted to his new wife that his mother would break down. And breakdown she did. She ordered her husband to give Draco another medical check-up, but it just proved that he had lung cancer._

_Hermione still relived that day sometimes. The grief-stricken look on her mother-in-law's face upon hearing the disease of her son; Lucius' surprised look … it was all too much for her. The images of their faces would haunt her to the grave. She remembered that Lucius locked himself in his bedroom for two solid days without eating or taking a bath. She even swore that she heard some soft cries inside his room whenever she went to Draco's old bedroom (she passed Lucius' room on the way)._

_A week after their wedding and celebration, Draco persuaded Hermione to leave her old apartment and move in to his house… __**their**__ new house. His parents were quite reluctant in letting him go but they understood that he was a married man and that he needed to spend some time alone with his new wife. And of course, they knew that Hermione would take care of their son._

_The brunette was quite hesitant to leave her old, comfy apartment. That was where she had built her life after the war. It held a lot of memories, each wall telling a different story. But then, she soon made up her mind and transferred to her new house._

_Back to reality, Hermione chanced a glance outside, her eyes instantly gazing at the full moon. It had been a full moon, too, when a two weeks ago, Dr. Lucia Montgomery (now Draco's personal doctor), told them that hen was a terminal patient. His lung cancer had metastasized to the third and last (and deadly) stage of lung cancer._

_Draco was taking medications. Ever since he asked for Hermione's hand and she agreed, he immediately went to Dr. Montgomery's office and told her that he changed his mind and he would take medications. Hermione was hesitant at first. Of course, she knew about chemotherapy and all (though, she hadn't taken it). She knew that it could make a person weak. But of course, her husband knew her too well. Draco knew that deep down inside, she was grateful._

_He took his very first round of chemotherapy a month after their wedding. Things that mostly happen to patients who received their chemotherapy did happen to him. For instance, his hair fell out but surprisingly, the next day, his hair grew back just like before. Lucius explained to her that wizards and witches are like that. Hermione also remembered Harry telling her about the time when his Aunt Petunia gave him an ugly haircut. He didn't want it at all. But then, the next day, all of them were surprised to see that Harry's hair had grown back just the way it was before._

_Draco also became slightly weaker as days passed by. He seldom went to work anymore. He would often have fevers and would be forced to be bedridden for days at a time. He hated that. The blond was a busy body. He always wanted to move. He __**needed**__ to move. But of course, his cancer was prohibiting him from doing all the things he liked._

_Sometimes, when the blond was feeling quite well, he spent the night with Hermione in their tree house in the backyard. As usual, they would talk about random things and never failed to run out of words. Hermione would let his head lean on her right shoulder as she softly recited all the constellations she could recognize to him._

_Hermione became a Healer a few weeks after their wedding. Being the new daughter-in-law of the owner of St. Mungo's, she had been given some privileges. Of course, Hermione had protested. She felt that the privileges Lucius gave to her were quite unfair to hundreds of other wizards and witches who were dreaming of becoming a Healer, too. But of course, Lucius insisted. Hermione was able to discover the cure for__** Odium Deprecor**__. The discovery of the cure for that particular curse was a big breakthrough in the medi-wizard world._

"_Mistress Malfoy."_

_The brunette jumped an inch or two before swiveling around only to come face-to-face with Draco's (now hers, too) personal house-elf, Jinky._

"_Err… yeah?" she asked, still quite shaken because of surprise._

_The house-elf looked quite guilty. "Pardon Jinky, Mistress Malfoy, but Jinky just wants to ask if Mistress Malfoy wants to eat dinner." She smiled at her._

_Hermione blinked and then smiled at the house-elf. Ever since she married Draco, she forced him to pay Jinky for her hard work. He refused, hands down when Hermione forced him to sack Jinky. She told him that she could do all the housework (even if their house was too humongous), work as a Healer, and take care of him all at the same time. But of course, he was Draco Malfoy and stubbornness was in his vocabulary, so he refused. At least, he agreed to pay Jinky a Galleon a month._

"_Thank you for the offer, Jinky, but I'm sorry I don't want to eat dinner," she said, sounding as polite as possible. Ever since fourth year and S.P.E.W., talking to house-elves should be like talking to human beings. That became a constant to her._

_Jinky bowed. "It's all right, Mistress Malfoy," she said. And with that, she disappeared with a soft pop._

_Sighing, the brunette continued her small journey until she arrived in front of their bedroom. Inside was a sick Draco Malfoy. When Hermione had left that morning, he had been running a slight fever. He had wanted to go with her so badly (though, he didn't know where she was going) but he couldn't because he was too delirious to even stand._

_Her left hand unconsciously landed on her belly as she opened the door. Their bedroom was only Draco's before. But then, since Hermione came, the blond bewitched it to be slightly bigger for the two of them._

_Hermione immediately approached the quiet bundle lying down on the bed. The towel which Hermione placed before she went away was still draped on the blond's forehead. When she was dealing with colds and fevers, she still preferred healing him the Muggle-way._

_Her hand clutched the cool towel (she bewitched it so that it would stay cool until she came back) and removed it from his forehead. The brunette leaned down and kissed her husband's forehead._

_Draco groggily opened his eyes. At first, they were unfocused. But then, they focused themselves on Hermione's concerned face._

"_How are you feeling?" she softly asked. She subconsciously noticed that he wasn't that feverish anymore._

_He managed to crack a small smile. "Better," he said, voice sounding a little hoarse because of the lack of talking. _

_Hermione smiled and then walked towards her wardrobe to retrieve her usual pajamas._

"_Where were you?" he asked, slight irritation evident on his voice. "You were gone for a long time, Hermione."_

_Before answering, the brunette waved her wand and instantly, she was wearing her pajamas. "I went to the same muggle hospital," she told him, carefully folding her used clothes before placing them gently inside the laundry basket._

"_Why?" he asked, sounding suspicious._

"_I visited Dr. Nobleman."_

"_Dr. Nobleman?" He sounded surprised. "I thought he retired."_

"_He did," she said, softly chuckling. "But it turned out he loves his job too much to retire early. And so, he came back. We had a small chat after that." Hermione plopped down beside him and instantly wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer until his forehead was leaning against her shoulder. Draco's skeletal arm found its way around her waist before sighing._

"_I missed you," he said, earning a small chuckle from the brunette._

"_Draco, I was only gone for a few hours," she said, placing a light kiss on his forehead._

"_So?" he asked, frowning. "I still missed you."_

"_Aww… my husband's turning sappy," she teased, noticing the face he made. She laughed. "Don't worry, I missed you, too."_

"_Now who's turning sappy?" he joked._

_Hermione grinned and stuck out her tongue immaturely. These actions of hers greatly surprised the blond. "Why are you looking at me weirdly?" she inquired._

_Draco frowned, a contemplative look plastered on his face. "You're acting weird," he said._

"_Weird?" she asked, looking a bit innocent._

"_Well," he started, "you're acting cheery and all."_

"_Is that bad?"_

_He shook his head slightly, knowing that if he moved his head too much, a headache would start to form. "No," he answered. "It's just weird. I mean, two weeks ago, you were barely talking to me. It was like me going terminal made you want to keep your distance from me and" – Hermione's smile instantly disappeared – "I really shouldn't have said that." The blond looked guilty, knowing that what he had just said removed the smile on his wife's face._

"_S'all right," she said, sighing._

"_I'm sorry," he softly said._

_The brunette just nodded and leaned her forehead against the top of his head. Draco, quite alarmed, pulled her face until their lips met for a brief, yet gentle kiss._

"_I'm a git," he muttered softly to himself._

_Hermione smiled and patted his blond hair. "__**You're**__ my git," she reassured him. "And I love you even if you are one."_

_Draco returned her smile. "Well, that's good to hear," he said, snuggling against her neck. "Now, tell me why you're being so bloody cheery today." He released a wide yawn against her neck and closed his eyes._

"_I'm going to tell you something surprising, honey," she slowly said, her hands unconsciously playing with his blond hair._

"_Really?"_

_The brunette slowly nodded. "I didn't really go to the muggle hospital to meet with Dr. Nobleman," she said. "Well, yeah, I met Dr. Nobleman and we had coffee but, I did something before that."_

"_A check-up?" he asked, looking up at her. When Hermione nodded, a joking smile grew on his face. "Let me guess… a blood test?"_

_She rolled her eyes but chuckled nonetheless. "No," she said. "A pregnancy test."_

_Draco froze. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Strangely, his wife found his expression quite endearing. "A… a w-what?"_

"_A pregnancy test," she repeated, a small smile now growing on her face._

_He opened and closed his mouth while blinking rapidly. "I… uh… err… b-bloody hell!" he exclaimed, making the brunette giggle softly. "P-positive?" _

_Hermione nodded. "Positive," she said, happiness evident in her voice. If it was possible, Draco's eyes grew larger. His eyes shifted from the brunette's eyes to her stomach then back to her eyes._

"_H-how long?" he asked, laughter gently growing._

"_A month now," she explained to him, grinning at his reaction. "We both thought that the sickness I kept on feeling before was just because I got affected every time you have fevers. We never thought that maybe… __**maybe**__ someone's been residing in my body and sharing my nutrients with me."_

"_A… baby," the blond whispered, almost breathless. He blinked, eyes immediately connecting with his wife's eyes. And before Hermione knew it, Draco was pressing kisses all over her face._

_Hermione laughed and held both of his cheeks to stop his kisses. "Yes, a baby," she said, rubbing his right cheek with her thumb. "We're going to have a baby, Draco."_

_His eyes twinkled in amazement and excitement, unconsciously kissing the inside of her palm. "You're going to be a mother," he whispered, grinning boyishly._

"_And you, a father," she said, allowing him to lift her shirt halfway so that he could rub his hand against her bare abdomen._

"_Little one," he whispered, "you're going to be the luckiest kid in the whole wide world."_

_Hermione softly giggled as tears gathered at the corner of her eyes. Alarmed, Draco covered her stomach again and wiped the tears that escaped from the brunette's eyes. "Hey, hey," he murmured, kissing one tear away. "What's wrong? Why are you crying? Tears of joy, I hope."_

_The brunette leaned her forehead against his as she took a huge, shuddering breath. "Kind of," she whispered._

_Draco now looked downright confused. "What do you mean?" he asked._

"_Draco," she started, "I'm glad I'm pregnant with your child." She smiled at the statement she said. "This must be the happiest day of my life… well, next to your proposal." Draco couldn't help but laugh softly. "But…" This time, Hermione's face crumpled and then, tears continued to fall. "But…" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened it, despair was clearly written in her eyes. Even though it was slightly dark, Draco could see it. "Pr-promise me one thing, Draco."_

"_Anything, love. Anything," he murmured, kissing her forehead for comfort._

"_P-please," she cried softly. "Please… be there beside me when I deliver our child."_

_The blond pursed his lips tightly. He gently laid her head against his neck as she continued to sob._

"_Pr-promise me, please," she begged, eyes looking up at him imploringly. Her hands, which were perched at his back, crumpled the back material of his shirt as she shook because of her tears. "That's all I'm asking for, Draco."_

"_Shh…" he said, rubbing circles at her back._

"_I-I can't let you promise me not to die, Draco," she continued, still sobbing softly. "Be-because even if I hate to admit it, you'll break it anyway."_

"_Hermione," he said, slightly warningly. "Stop. Please."_

"_Promise me first!" she cried. "I-I want you to see him… or her, I don't know. I-I want you to at least hold our child, Draco. Pr-promise me you'll be beside me when I deliver our child."_

_It was clear that the topic they were talking about was hurting the brunette. Sighing in defeat, Draco kissed her forehead again and murmured, "Fine. I promise."_

"_Mean it, please," she pleaded._

"_I'll try," he said, his hand now rubbing circles on her stomach. "I'll try because I love you. And our child."_

_Hermione, despite her tears, smiled gently. "Thank you," she said, planting a kiss on his lips. _

"_Anything for you," he whispered, giving her a small smile. "Now, please go to sleep. It's not good for the baby if the mother's stressed."_

_The brunette chuckled and closed her eyes. "Goodnight, Draco."_

"_Sleep tight, love," he whispered._

"_Don't let the bed bugs bite."_

**

* * *

**_It was torture._

_Hermione, who had been heavily pregnant for eight months, paced back and forth in an attempt to calm down her frayed nerves. Dry tears were still present against her cheek as she glared daggers at the door that was dividing her from her husband._

_Two hands placed themselves on her shoulders, surprising her slightly. She looked up and met Lucius' worried eyes, both for his son and for her. Narcissa was still softly sobbing from one of the plastic chairs in the muggle hospital as she waited for the doctors to do something to her son._

"_Sit down, Hermione," Lucius ordered, pushing her shoulders gently and effortlessly until the brunette was seated. "You're pregnant. Think about what is best for the baby."_

_Hermione choked up a sob as she looked back at the door of the emergency room._

_This morning, Hermione was awoken by her husband who was vigorously shaking her. He announced to her he couldn't breathe properly. Hermione painfully ignored the fact that there were bloodstains scattered on the carpeted floor – Draco had been coughing again._

_And so, Hermione immediately rushed him to the emergency room in the usual muggle hospital. She shakily called Narcissa and Lucius and begged them to come. She needed moral support and reassurance that Draco would be all right… that everything would soon be over._

"_Calm down, honey," her father-in-law murmured, rubbing small circles on her back for comfort. Hermione noticed that Lucius was allowing Narcissa to grip his hand for dear life. "Draco will be all right." Even his eyes were contradicting his words._

_It had been hours now. Dr. Montgomery, together with some of the other doctors and nurses, were inside the emergency room, doing their best to at least stabilize Draco._

_Agitated, Hermione stood up again and peeked through the small glass window of the door. She wished she hadn't because the things that were happening inside made her blood run cold. The heart machine, the one that tells the heartbeat, was now showing a scarily straight line. One doctor was giving Draco chest compressions. His fragile body looking like it would surely snap with each downward thrust._

"_NO!" the brunette cried, banging one of her fist against the door. "Oh God, oh god. NO!"_

_They were now doing everything they could to revive his breathing… his heartbeat… his life._

_Lucius, surprised with the brunette's outburst, immediately approached his daughter-in-law and peeked inside. His color drained instantly. One of the nurses noticed that the curtain was open. She shot them an apologetic look before drawing the blue curtain around Draco's bed._

_Now hysterical, Hermione kept on banging the door, demanding them to open it. Lucius, distraught, tried to pull Hermione away from the door and sit her back down on one of the chairs. A crying Narcissa approached the two, scared by Hermione's reaction to whatever was going on._

_She looked from her daughter-in-law to her husband. She saw the hopelessness that immediately washed over Lucius. And she knew… __**she knew**__. Narcissa looked back to Hermione and her heart broke for the brunette. They'd been in love and now, she was bearing the fruit of their love. But to predict… to see that maybe she would have to take care of their baby without her son.. it was just not fair._

_Hermione had lost her best friends. Hermione had lost her parents. Hermione had lost almost everything. Now, Narcissa knew that Hermione had lost Draco._

_And so, without thinking, she brandished her wand and __**Alohamora-ed**__ the door._

"_Narcissa!" Lucius exclaimed, watching as Hermione rushed inside the emergency room._

_The Malfoy matriarch only shot her husband a deadly look before following inside._

_The doctors and nurses were surprised to see that they were able to barge in. And so, they were too shocked to stop Hermione from making her way towards her husband._

"_Draco… Draco," she sobbed, trying to wake him up. Her hands were now against his cheek. One of her hands traveled down to his neck. He was warm, making Hermione hope that he was still alive. But his carotid artery wasn't beating anymore. That crushed her hope. "Dr-Draco, honey, please wake up." She shook him vigorously like he had shaken her just hours ago. "You can't… die… __**please**__. You can't die. You can't leave me. You promised!"_

_Dr. Montgomery snapped out of her shock and tried to pull away Hermione from the bed. "Mrs. Malfoy, please," she murmured. "You're not supposed to be here."_

"_Do something!" she cried. "Why isn't he breathing anymore?! You're the doctor here! Do something! H-h-he promised me… Draco promised me to be there when I deliver o-our baby. D-do something!"_

_The doctor sighed. Hermione couldn't help but hear the hopelessness in her voice. Dr. Montgomery looked at her husband and shook her head slightly. That only made Hermione cry more._

_Lucius approached Hermione and pulled her into a gentle hug, careful not to crush the big bump that was Hermione's stomach. "I'm sorry," he murmured, running his hand through his daughter-in-law's hair._

"_Lu-Lucius," she sobbed. "Do something. You're a H-Healer. I'm sure you'll be able to save Dr-Draco. Do something, Lucius. Do something."_

_He shook his head and sighed. He knew as well as she did that the dead stayed dead. That was why there was still no cure for the Killing Curse._

"_Please, don't look like that, dear," Narcissa said from beside Lucius, alarmed at the fact that all the color from Hermione was draining. "Don't look like that!" _

"_Please get a wheelchair," he said to one of the nurses who obliged._

_The last thing Hermione heard was the monotonous drone of the heart machine._

_And then, she fell limp on Lucius' arms._

**

* * *

**Faint sunlight streamed inside the bedroom. It reached the thirty-year-old Hermione Granger-Malfoy who was staring blankly at the window.

She hadn't slept well last night. Hell, she hadn't slept properly these past few years.

Sighing, Hermione got up from the bed and grabbed her red robe, draping it around her shoulders before opening the bedroom door.

It was still early in the morning. All the occupants in the house were still soundlessly sleeping. Hermione trudged through the backyard 'til she reached the tree house which was made by her dear husband a few years ago.

Five years had passed. It had been five years since Draco Malfoy died. When Hermione woke up after she fainted in the emergency room, she thought that everything that had happened was just a dream… a nightmare. Upon seeing dear Narcissa whose eyes were puffy and red, she immediately asked her where Draco was. She just burst into tears and then, Hermione knew that what she had witnessed wasn't a nightmare at all.

Hermione's eyes traveled up into the sky. The sun was just peeking from the horizon. The moon was still visible, though the stars were long gone.

Sighing, Hermione climbed down from the tree house. There, in front of it, was a white tombstone with the words _'Draco Malfoy'_ inscribed on it. When Lucius had asked Hermione where she wanted to lay Draco to rest, she had monotonously answered under the tree house he had made just for her.

The brunette approached it slowly, a small lump forming in her throat. Her eyes stung again as she slowly sat down in front of the tombstone. She rarely visited Draco's grave. Just looking at it still made her cry. And so, she only visited him on special occasions like his birthday, their wedding anniversary, and his death anniversary.

Today was their wedding anniversary.

Lucius and Narcissa arrived a few days ago, telling her that they wanted to celebrate their wedding anniversary with the brunette. Hermione, faking a smile on her face, agreed half-heartedly. She wasn't really planning on a celebration. All she planned was to visit his grave early in the morning and then lock herself in her room for the rest of the day.

"Happy Anniversary, honey," she whispered, fingers gently brushing against the blond's name. A lone tear slid down from her eyes as she slowly retrieved her hands back and gently placed them on top of her lap. "It's been five years now, eh?"

She paused, hearing the first chirping of the birds for the day. Hermione brushed the tears away from her eyes and sniffed. "I miss you badly, Draco," she continued, releasing a soft hiccup. "I hope you're happy wherever you are." She retrieved her wand from her pocket and conjured a red rose. She tentatively placed it in on his grave while softly crying. "It's painful to be alone, love. I still wish you were here with me. But… but I've accepted the fact that He needed to take you away from me. I've learned that after you took me to my best friends' graves."

Hermione's eyes slightly widened upon hearing the music from her music box. She looked around wildly. Her eyes then rested towards the ice skater gliding around in her music box which was tightly clutched by a five-year-old, blond little boy. "Scorpius!" she exclaimed.

"Mama?" the little boy softly asked in concern, gently placing his mother's heavy music box on the ground. Scorpius immediately approached his crying mother and wrapped his stubby arms around the brunette's neck. "You're crying again, Mama," he pointed out.

Despite her tears, Hermione chuckled. "Mama's just tired, Scorpy," she said, ruffling her son's hair affectionately.

Scorpius Malfoy was the son of Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger-Malfoy. Scorpius was a premature child, leaving his mother's body a month earlier than normal. He was small and frail when he was a baby. But then, the doctor reassured Hermione that once he grew up, he would be a healthy child (if, she took care of him properly).

And so, he was. Scorpius was a healthy and adorable five-year-old. He was the spitting image of his father, though he possessed his mother's intelligence and compassion. At first, Hermione felt pain just watching her son because of his strong resemblance to Draco. But as days passed, she learned to love him dearly as much as she loved Draco.

"Grandpapa's calling you, Mama," Scorpius said, brushing his mother's tears using his fingers. Frowning, he said, "And please don't cry. I don't like it when you cry."

Hermione nodded and kissed his forehead before carrying him back inside their house. Lucius was up and greeted his daughter-in-law with a warm kiss on top of her hair. "Good morning," he greeted, smiling warmly at Hermione and her son. It still never ceased to amaze Hermione every time Lucius smiled at her. It was just… weird. But she learned to just appreciate it.

Lucius smile faltered, immediately turning into a frown. "You were crying," he pointed out. Hermione just sheepishly smiled, not having the energy to defend herself. Lucius just sighed. "It's your wedding anniversary, Hermione. Please be happy."

"I know," she said, nodding her head slightly. She looked around the house. "Where's Narcissa?"

"Making breakfast," he said. "And I suggest you wear something decent, dear, before the guests arrived."

"You invited guests?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Only a few," he assured her.

Hermione sighed and placed Scorpius back on the ground. "All right, I'll be right back," she said, trudging up the stairs.

"Now, little scorpion, do you want to help your Grandmama in the kitchen?" Lucius asked, grinning at his grandson. Looking at him always reminded him of his deceased son, though, he was more adorable. Smirking, he knew that if Draco was still alive today, he would be protesting nonstop that he was _as adorable as_ his son.

"Yes!" he gleefully announced before rushing towards the kitchen where Narcissa was currently working.

Hermione, witnessing this small interaction between grandfather and grandson, chuckled before completely going inside her bedroom.

She walked towards her wardrobe and hunted for some decent clothes. Her eyes landed on the other side of the wardrobe – Draco's. Even if he was dead, Hermione hadn't touched his belongings. His clothes, parchments, inks… everything were still placed right where they were supposed to be.

Sighing, Hermione closed the wardrobe and changed into her nice, clean and decent clothes. She smiled when she saw her stuffed toy ferret whose head was slightly leaning on top of Draco's stuffed toy beaver. Ever since she moved into his house, those two stuffed toys of theirs were inseparable, just like their owners.

"Mama, come down!" Scorpius called out from below.

Hermione opened the bedroom door and walked down the stairs, only to stop midway. There in front of her, was a chuckling Scorpius carried by a grinning James. The next thing she knew, she was hugging him enthusiastically. "James!" she exclaimed, laughing softly. "It's been years since the last time I saw you!"

James grinned and released the squirming Scorpius who immediately ran to his grandfather. "Hermione," he said, returning her eager hug. "It's so nice to see you again."

"How are you?" she asked, looking at him from head to toe. "My, you have grown taller! And thank Merlin you gained weight. I was honestly scared of holding you before because you were practically skin and bones!"

He chuckled and placed a kiss on her forehead. "How are you coping?" he asked, this time, more serious.

Hermione made a small smile. "Still in pain," she answered him. "But Scorpius is here. He distracts me from the pain."

James made a face. "Malfoy told me you weren't his girlfriend before," he told her. "How come you end up with his son?"

The brunette giggled. "Because I love him," she said. "And he loved me, too."

He sighed. "Too bad we never went out more before," he said. "It would still be cool to be like William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway."

"Silly," she said, playfully punching his arm. "You knew all along that my feelings for you were purely platonic. And I'm sure all you felt for me was a silly crush since I'm the first one to show you love."

"_Happiness, care, and love_," he corrected, making Hermione smile.

"James?"

Hermione looked at the source of voice, surprised to see a very beautiful girl, probably as old as James. "Who's she?" she asked the twenty-two-year-old in front of her.

James smiled proudly and beckoned the woman to approach him. "This," he said, smiling affectionately at her, "is my fiancée, Cindy."

Hermione's eyes enlarged. "You're engaged!" she exclaimed, expressing her surprise.

The young man laughed softly and wrapped an arm around Cindy's waist. "Yes," he said. "Surprised, eh?"

The brunette just smiled at him.

"Mrs. Malfoy, right?" Cindy asked.

James laughed while Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "Just call me Hermione," she said.

"Hermione, then," she said, smiling at her. "I just want to say that you have a very adorable son. Scorpius is my ideal child, you know."

Hermione smiled as James turned into a deep shade of red. She then pulled Cindy into a gentle hug, surprising her greatly. "Listen here, Cindy," she said. "Please do take care of James. I once cured him from _Odium Deprecor_. He never felt love before, okay? And I'm glad he found you."

This time, it was Cindy who was blushing furiously. "I will, Mrs. Mal – I mean, Hermione," she smiled.

"Good," she said, releasing Cindy completely from her hug. "Now, please do feel at home. I'll be back. I just need to check on Narcissa and Scorpius." With that, Hermione went inside the kitchen and couldn't help but laugh upon seeing the scene inside.

Narcissa was there, looking slightly disgruntled as her grandson ate chocolate from a bowl.

"Scorpius," Hermione said warningly, smiling warmly as Scorpius smiled at her, hints of chocolate splattered around his face.

"Mama!" he exclaimed and went down from the stool, wanting to give Hermione a big hug

"Ah, ah," she said, placing her arms in front of her, and completely stopping Scorpius from hugging her. "You're messy, honey. Be good and go wash. After that, I'll give you a hug. A kiss, too, maybe."

Scorpius smiled adorably and ran towards the washroom to wash himself.

Hermione directed her eyes towards a chuckling Narcissa.

"Unbelievable," the older woman said. "I should have done that to him."

"I'm so sorry if Scorpius bothered you, Narcissa," she said.

Older Mrs. Malfoy waved a dismissive hand. "It's all right, dear," she said. "He's just like his father when Draco was younger."

Hermione's smile faltered, though, the smile was still plastered on her face. "Yes, he reminds me of… Draco," she said.

Narcissa sighed and placed the knife back down on the chopping board. She wiped her hands on her apron and beckoned Hermione to move closer. The brunette obliged and was soon enveloped in the older Malfoy's arms. "I haven't wished you a 'Happy Anniversary' yet," she said.

The brunette chuckled. "You already did, Narcissa," she said, closing her eyes and placing her chin on top of her head (since she was taller than Narcissa).

"You miss him, don't you?" she asked.

Hermione flashed a bitter smile. "Narcissa, I will _always _miss him," she said. "He was my husband, after all."

"Of course," Narcissa said, patting her back. "But, thank Merlin Scorpius is here, Hermione. It seemed like Draco never left us at all."

"Yes, quite right," she said.

"HERMIONE!"

The brunette turned around and broke away from Narcissa's hug, only to be attacked by a mass of blonde hair and a pair of arms. Softly laughing, Hermione pulled away the girl hugging her tightly. She surveyed her from head to toe, eyes enlarging in the process. "Sophie?" she asked.

The blonde girl, that is Sophie, smiled widely and nodded her head vigorously. "Yes, yes, Hermione," she said.

"Wow, you've grown!" she exclaimed, running a hand through her slightly longer hair. Sophie was apparently a ten-year-old! But for Hermione, it looked like Sophie was still the same beautiful child who was first afraid of her.

Sophie pulled Hermione back into a hug. "How have you been, Hermione?" she asked, this time quite softly. The blonde gingerly placed a kiss on the brunette's cheek. "I'm sorry… about… Draco." Tears welled up in the little girl's eyes.

"Oh hush, honey, don't cry," Hermione said, brushing a lone tear away from her eyes. "I'm all right now," she said. "It still hurts, Sophie. But I'll be okay."

The blonde sniffed and nodded her head, a small smile spreading on her face.

"By the way, why _are_ you here?" the brunette asked. "Not that I don't want you to be. But, why are you here?"

"We adopted her," Lucius said, announcing his arrival.

Hermione's eyes widened. "Adopted?!" she exclaimed. "Lucius… she's… she's a muggle!"

Lucius gave her a smile. "_Muggle-born_," he corrected.

The brunette's jaw dropped, eyes immediately landing on the smiling little girl. "You're… muggle-born?"

Sophie nodded her head vigorously. "Yes," she said, now sound excited. "I received my Hogwarts Acceptance Letter a few weeks ago. Apparently, I'm a witch, too… just like you!"

"Oh, wow," she said, softly chuckling. Her eyes landed back on Lucius. "How did you know about Sophie?"

"Draco talked about her sometimes." This time, it was Narcissa who answered her. "He actually told us that she was afraid of you at first."

"But she gave me a pink teddy bear!" Sophie interjected.

The four of them laughed. "So, I presume she'll be living in the Malfoy Manor," Hermione said.

"Yes, but she can visit here anytime she wants," Lucius said. "Scorpius needs some playmates, too, you know."

Sophie's eyes widened. "Scorpius?"

As if on cue, the adorable little Malfoy strode inside, now chocolate-free. "Mama, can I have my hug now?" he asked.

"Mama?" Sophie asked.

Hermione opened her arms wide and little Scorpius rushed towards his mother and wrapped his little arms around her waist. The brunette looked at Sophie and smiled. "He looks like Draco, doesn't he?"

The little blonde's eyes widened. "You have a son!" she exclaimed, approaching the little blond who was looking at Sophie curiously. "He's so adorable! He looks _exactly_ like Draco." She looked up at Hermione. "Can I hug him?"

"Of course!" Hermione exclaimed, looking at her son fondly. "Only if he wants to."

Sophie directed her gaze towards the five-year-old. "Can I hug you?" she asked him.

Scorpius looked up at his mother. Hermione smiled and nodded her head. He then looked back at the strange new girl and nodded his head. "Okay," he said, unwrapping his arms from his mother's waist. He opened his arms for Sophie who immediately pulled him into a big hug.

"He hugs like Draco, too!" Sophie exclaimed, coddling with the younger blond.

Hermione chuckled once her son softly laughed and hugged Sophie back. They looked so adorable. And judging by the look on both of Narcissa and Lucius' faces, she knew they would agree with her, too. "Err… Lucius," she said. "Are we expecting someone else?"

Lucius gave her a mysterious smile. "Yes, Hermione," he answered.

Hermione frowned in suspicion but just shrugged. "I'll be back in a minute. I just have to check James and his fiancée… Oh, I still can't believe that he's engaged!"

"Things change," Narcissa said, watching as her grandson played with her new adopted daughter.

"I agree," Hermione said with a sigh before walking towards the living room. She smiled at the scene once arriving at the living room. Cindy's head was placed on top of James' head, her eyes slightly dropping closed.

James looked up upon hearing Hermione's footsteps. "She's tired… she had a long night yesterday," he explained.

Hermione smiled. "You know, you can take her home now," she said.

The twenty-two-year-old looked indignant. "Hermione, this is a special day for you!" he protested. "I haven't seen you for years! I missed you, you know. And, since you're the first person to show me that you care for me, I want to spend this special day with you… together with Cindy, of course."

The brunette chuckled and gave James a hug. "Thank you," she said. "I appreciate it."

"You're always welcome, Hermione. You're always welcome," James answered back. When he looked behind the brunette, his eyes shot up in surprise. "Hermione, were you expecting someone else?"

"Err… Lucius told me that someone will… still… come." Her voice faltered. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "Gi-Gi-Ginny?" she spluttered.

Indeed, standing in front of her, was the one and only Ginny Weasley. As Hermione observed her, she looked different yet so… the same. Ginny still had the usual auburn hair, swaying gracefully against her back. The same baby blue eyes were staring intently at the brunette in front of her. Yes, she was the same Ginny Weasley she had once known and still loved, though, Hermione greatly felt that she was more mature than before.

"So, you married Draco Malfoy?" the redhead said, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had formed between her and Hermione. Her eyes were staring at one of their wedding pictures, scrutinizing the happy expression on both of their faces.

"Y-y-yes," Hermione stuttered, still in a state of shock.

Ginny took a deep breath and averted her eyes away from the picture, eyes now intently staring at Hermione again. "Why?" she simply asked.

"Why?" Hermione asked, surprised with her sudden question. "You're asking me why?"

The she-Weasley just gave her a blank look.

The brunette pursed her lips and sighed. "Because I… because I… love him," she answered softly. "That's why."

Hermione wasn't sure if Ginny was surprised. If she was, she didn't show it. "He took care of you for years," she stated.

"Yes," the brunette said, her eyes tearing up. "Y-yes."

"Did he… did he ever hurt you?" the redhead asked, strangely quiet.

A tear slipped down from Hermione's eyes. "No," she said, with strong conviction. "Never."

"Does he love you?" she asked softly.

Tears continued to pour down from Hermione's eyes. "Y-yes," she said. "He… he never failed to tell me that."

"Hermione," Ginny suddenly said, her face softening at the state of the brunette. "Hermione… I hate myself."

The brunette released a soft sob. Ginny was suddenly changing the topic. "Ginny…"

"I hate myself for… for blaming you," she continued. For some reason, her eyes were starting to mist, too. "I was… I-I was stupid for blaming you, Hermione. It wasn't your fault."

"Ginny, please…"

"I-I've missed you, Hermione," Ginny commented, a tear slipping down from her eyes. That just made Hermione cry more.

And then, little arms wrapped themselves around the crying brunette. Surprised, Hermione looked down and saw her little son hugging her tight, a concerned look adorning his adorable face. "S-Scopry?" she said.

"Mama, you're crying again," Scorpius pointed out, his lower lip slightly quivering. "Didn't Scoprius tell you not to cry anymore, Mama? I don't like it when you cry."

Hermione bent down and carried the little boy in her arms while pressing kisses on top of his head. "I'm fine, Scorpius," she said. "I'm all right." Her eyes then landed on Ginny, a surprised look plastered on her face.

"Y-you…" the redhead spluttered, eyes staring boldly at the blond on Hermione's arms. "He… he looks exactly like… the Ferret."

Despite her tears, the brunette managed to smile. "That's what people kept on telling me," she told the redhead.

Ginny slowly opened her arms, a wide smile plastered on her tearstained face. "I'm sorry, Hermione," she simply said.

The brunette then gently placed Scorpius back on the ground before lunging herself towards Ginny's arms.

"Ginny," she cried, her arms wrapped around her best friend tightly. "I've missed you, too."

"I'm sorry," the she-Weasley said.

Hermione shook her head. "Don't be silly," she said. "I'm the one who is at fault. I'm sorry I haven't saved Harry and Ron at all."

"It wasn't your fault," Ginny interjected.

The brunette chuckled, surprising the redhead. "That's what Draco kept on telling me," she told Ginny. "He told me it wasn't my fault… that you were being ridiculous."

"Damn right he was," the redhead said.

"Ginny…"

"Let's not fight over it anymore, Hermione," she said. Ginny pulled Hermione away from their hug and grinned. "Past is past. It's true I still haven't gotten over Harry and Ron's death. But I will… soon."

Hermione smiled and gave her another quick hug. "I'll be here beside you, Ginny."

Ginny smiled, her eyes now landing on Scorpius. "Can I… can I hug him?" she asked Hermione, her eyes not leaving the adorable five-year-old.

"Of course," she said, watching as Ginny pulled little Scorpius into a hug and cooed at him.

The small celebration ended without any interruptions. Smiles and laughs were exchanged, especially at the stories of Ginny while dealing with dragons in Romania. Apparently, she became an assistant to her brother, Charlie. Tears were shed, mostly on behalf of Hermione, while all of them listened to a short poem made by Sophie in memory of Draco Malfoy.

As Hermione hugged their guests goodbye, Scorpius slipped back into their backyard, remembering that he had left his mother's beloved music box in it.

And so, as he ran towards it, he discovered that the music box was still open. The lullaby which his mother mostly sang to him was still heard around the backyard. Smiling, the little scorpion approached it. Before he could even close it, his eyes landed immediately on the white tombstone under the tree house (which, he came to love).

Biting his lower lip, he approached the white tombstone. He was still confused as to why his mother always cried every time she visits this tombstone. All he knew, though, was that his father's name was inscribed on it. He might not know where his 'Papa' was, but he sure knew he was somewhere far away, that was why his mother always cried whenever she looked at this.

He brushed his fingers against his lips and pressed it gingerly against his father's name. "I love you, Papa," he said, smiling at his name. "And someday, I will see you. Please wait for me, okay?"

With that, he approached his mother's music box and closed the lid, thus, making the song stop. He carried the heavy box inside the house, greeted by a surprised Hermione who immediately took her music box away from Scorpius.

"Mama," the little blond said as he followed her up to Hermione's bedroom. "Can we go to Happy Land today?"

Chuckling, Hermione looked at Scorpius. "Of course, honey," she said, placing her music box on her bedside table. "Now, go back to your room and change. Grandpapa, Grandmama, and Sophie will come, too."

Scorpius grinned and kissed Hermione's cheek in thanks. He dashed back to his bedroom to follow his mother's orders.

Hermione's eyes landed back on the stuffed toy beaver and ferret. For her, looking at the toys reminded her of Draco and her. He might not be there beside her anymore, but all the people he loved still surrounded her, and thus, making him still present even though he was not.

The brunette might not have a happily ever after with her one true love. But being loved by Lucius and Narcissa like a daughter… being loved by Sophie like a mother… being cared for by James like a true friend… being forgiven by Ginny and restoring their friendship… and being smiled at by her precious Scorpius… Hermione knew, at least, in some way, she had her happily ever after.

As her eyes looked at her husband, the pain was still there. Of course, like everybody, she wanted to spend her life with the one she loves for as long as she lives.

Their love story might have ended as a tragedy. But surprisingly, Hermione learned things from how their love story ended. She learned that life can sometimes be bittersweet – not everything has a happy ending. She would be lying if she said that she never hoped that Draco would still live. But, she also discovered that their love was true… their love was strong… their love was unconditional. Despite Draco's sickness, Hermione still chose to stay beside him because of course, she loved him and he loved her in return. And she knew… she very well knew that Draco was waiting for her. That thought gave her a spark of hope.

Because someday, she would have her happily ever after with him.

**

* * *

**_**THE END**_

**A/N: AND DONE! Yay, finally I've finished another fic of mine! I'm so happy! But, at the same time, I'm pretty sad too. I mean, this fic somehow became my baby or something like that. Hahaha. To those whose theories are proven right, congratulations! Hahahaha!**

**Anyway, I'm sorry if there are no R-to-R… I'm just kinda feeling lazy today. I promise, I'm just going to reply to your reviews personally – not post it here. **

**Ah, okay, before that, I would just like to apologize to those people who think I screwed up or something. If I suck, fine. If my story sucks, it's fine, too. Like what I've told all of you on the 'festering sore' fiasco thing, I can't please anybody. But see, I'm the author. I can do whatever I want to my story. **

**To all cancer patients and their relatives there, I'm sorry if you think this story of mine is kinda frivolous or something. I didn't mean to offend you. I have relatives too who have cancer or something close to that and I'm telling you, it's not fun watching them becoming weaker and weaker. One reviewer of mine thought I was just playing around and I'm telling you, I am not. I just think I have to inform all of you. **

**Anyway, thanks to all those who love me no matter what happened to this story. Thank you to all those who wanted to badly kill me, punch me on the face, send scary ninja teddy bears (ahem, you know who you are! LOL!), and tie me around a chair or things like that… HAHAHA. In the end, you still chose to finish this story. *Bows down* That means something to me. Kisses to all of you! **

**On a brighter note, I have a new plot in mind! Yipee! It'd be funnier, I promise. I don't know when I will post it but I have a complete plot saved on the computer. I just need to make an outline like what I did in '11 Things' so that my story will have a clearer direction. But ugh! I still need to update Princess in Disguise! Wow, it had been a long time since I updated. I'm sorry to all who reads this story. It's just that every time I decided to write something new, my mind is completely blank. Writer's block, burn in hell! **

**So, that's it. Oh wait, about the sequel of Time's Up!, I'm still not sure when I will post it. I have a complete outline already, too, and I'm debating whether to post this sequel or the other story. I'm torn. Hahaha. **

**Again, thank you all for supporting this. Despite the fact that some chapters made you cry (and some told me they hate crying), you still decided to continue reading this. Thank you to those who placed this on their alerts or favorites and thank you those who placed me on their alert list or made me one of their favorite authors. Thank you! **

**So, this is really is it. Hahaha. **

**Ciao for now!**

**With love,  
2booklover4**


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